Overcoming the Christmas crankies

Buffet 2009

So... Christopher stayed at our house last night and cleared his mega computer (that thing could support a NASA project) from where he had set it up on the dining table back to his room.  Thus, making it possible to move furniture around to make a space for the Christmas tree later today.

I have packed Autumn (except the front porch) and removed objects from the buffet where they await tucking away until early January.  A few Christmas craft and recipe books have been pulled from their place on the shelves and perused.

I was able to use Amazon credit (thank you again!) to send a small birthday gift to Stephanie along with David's Christmas gift (each grandchild gets a very small gift from us). 

How do I feel?  Blech. Bah humbug.

Sigh... so I've decided I'll bring you along on my search for Christmas joy.  We'll see how soon I can overcome the Christmas crankies.   I mean, really, how can I stay cranky for long when I have this face around?

As I write, she has seen something on the deck and is quite frustrated there is no low window in the kitchen as she runs between the two rooms, hoping to see where the intended object has gone.  In her kitty way of thinking, if she saw it through the deck window then she should be able to see it from the kitchen.  I think she is also cranky.

I will soon pull out the scrapbook journal and make my Christmas list of things to be and do this season.  The devotional book, Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, will be placed beside my Bible for advent reading (beginning December 1st instead of last Sunday).

Perhaps they will help overcome the crankies.

Pictures:  Blogger heading picture and the buffet picture above from Christmas 2009

Victoria, cinnamon rolls, and just staying inside

 Victoria in snoopy mode over the summer

I really, really want to start Christmas decorating but Autumn continues to clutter the dining room table and Christmas remains on garage shelves.  I had a bit of a difficult time getting going this morning and one should never pack a season away while half awake.  No telling what we would find in the unpacking of the season next year.

I love this picture of Victoria, it shows her at one of her two favorite places to look out upon the world.  The other is in the family room, the view of the deck unimpeded as the doors have glass all the way to her level.  We become quite amused at her reactions but must wonder at times just what she SEES.  Of course, it is obvious when there is a bird or a squirrel or a chipmunk... but sometimes it appears to be a bunch of leaves blowing in the wind.  :)

Sunday afternoon was spent snuggled on the Lazy Boy with Miss Victoria curled up on my lap.  I probably should have used an hour or so to pack Autumn  and bring in Christmas but instead became very interested in a couple Christmas movies... they abounded on the various channels.

One of the movies was The Christmas Card, which I had heard was good but I'd never seen it.  It is truly wonderful!  Holiday movies (the made for TV variety) remind me somewhat of disaster flicks, in that they often have the exact same plot over and over... as if there is one script in Hollywood which is xeroxed and just tweaked here and there.  This movie was touching and actually believable, about a soldier who receives an anonymous Christmas card and later travels to meet the young woman who wrote it. :)

Although we're experiencing a brief warm up, more rain is to turn to snow.  That's okay, I have a stack of books to be read and a quick trip to the grocery can be made once the rain/snow has stopped.  We have milk, eggs, and cat food but we ran out of coffee filters (there is another "winter storm pantry" item to put on the list).

Once the weather turns cold enough that we experience highs in the 30s, I like to make cinnamon rolls.  This time I made them in the bread machine on Saturday, punched down the dough, placed it in a red bowl, and covered it with a plate on which two cans of fruit cocktail kept it solidly in place.  It stayed in the frig until the dough was rolled out, allowed to rise (which takes longer when cold), and baked on Sunday afternoon.  The scent of cinnamon rolls on a cold day... very few aromas can match it.  :)

I did spend some time yesterday afternoon bringing back the Christmas music to the Play List.  A few were no longer available so... when I have some extra time to peruse the music lists... I will add them back.  If you notice a favorite song dropped from the Play List, it is the provider and not me.  Although, it doesn't happen often.

Thank you SO MUCH again to all of you who enter Amazon to shop through my widget (or that of another blog friend).  It adds nothing to your price and it really adds up for us.  In this busy world, it takes a little time to come to one of our blogs and click on any item in the widget... but you truly bless us.  Thank you, again.  :)

Sunday Afternoon Tea

I have always loved Christmas, the glitz and the glitter and the wonderment and the magic (Narnia magic ya' know).  There's just something about the Season which differs from any other time of the year.

Certainly it has as much to do with Whose birthday we celebrate and the fact that... although there are those who attempt to take Christ out of Christmas... they cannot.

Especially in the hearts of those who worship Him as Savior and Lord.  They forget we do not worship a religion but instead we fellowship with the One whom they reject.

My husband's brother stopped by our home recently, on his way to their hometown near Chicago.  He had business which needed attending before the start of his busiest time of the year.  For he is a social worker and the Holidays bring about the most depression.  I am not surprised, having realized in my own life that my joys are enhanced as are any sorrows during the Christmas season.

This is one of those years in which I find myself entering the Season in a rather Bah Humbug mood.  The weather has not helped as we've experienced days of heavy, cold, windy rains that turned to snow... which surprised us as we left our friend's home on Thanksgiving (where we had a lovely time together).  Thankfully, the snow and ice had stopped before Christopher drove home much later.

However, I learned long ago not to let my emotions control what I decide to do about this (usually) favorite time of year.  I remember a very difficult December many years ago ... when... during a quiet time... I felt that nudge of God reminding me that these are my children's Good Old Days.

I didn't want either of my children ever to remember Christmas with Mom depressed and cranky due to circumstances.  Instead I desired their memories to be those of God at work in the difficult years and how it didn't take much money to enjoy the wonderment of the Season.  A good lesson to learn then and remember each year since my husband had to go on S. S. Disability.

After all, it doesn't cost much to make cookies or cinnamon rolls to enjoy by the light of the tree and a simple hot chocolate made with Hershey's cocoa and milk.  We always had plenty of Christmas decorations to take out of boxes, making the house look festive and bright (which cost nothing but time).

Now that the family is dispersed and dispersing, some no longer with us and others far away, how relieved I am that I chose... knowing there was a moment of choosing... to get over my lack of happiness and embrace... joy... and hope... even if it meant the doing before the feeling.

So... whatever my feelings at the time... my actions were to put on Christmas music and decorate and watch Holiday movies and bake cookies and make candy for gifts and unpack boxes containing... sparkle.  Each year memories returned as ornaments and decorations were removed from tissue paper... memories of places we lived and people we loved.

So often just a morning spent in a cozy kitchen making bread or assembling a stew while listening to Christmas music on the radio would bring a smile.  There is something about adversity which brings with it the appreciation of simple delights... a true gift from God.

I can't remember any Christmas in which my mood did not lift at least a little once the tree was decorated and I would awaken before anyone else in the house, take my coffee to a chair or sofa, and enjoy a quiet time by the light of the tree.

Now I must take leave as I (still in a bit of a downward mood) watch The Muppet Christmas Carol (which is playing on the television) and make some hot chocolate.  How can anyone feel sad with Kermie and Miss Piggy and chocolate?

Happy Thanksgiving Day

This picture was stolen borrowed from Stephanie's Facebook page.  This year, Anna's birth is definitely an event for which to be thankful.  She looks just like her mommy at this age.  :)

May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving.  We're having days of freezing rain, rain, thunderstorms, more rain, and it is all to turn to snow and ice this afternoon. 

Please pray with me for Christopher's safety as he is traveling hours today and will not return until (perhaps) the middle of the night... in this weather.

Scrapbook Journal - How to

I had so many people ask about the Scrapbook Journal that I thought you would like me to re-run the post I wrote about creating your own journal.  Here 'tis...

My Scrapbook Journal

I'd promised a friend of mine that I would show her how I created my scrapbook journal. So... since I'm already doing the work... I thought I'd make it a blog project. :)

A page from my original scrapbook journal

All pictures can be enlarged by clicking on the photo

I've seen so many ways people put together their journals and each is individual. I know Cheryl doesn't cut out her pictures ahead of time and file them like I do. Kimberly has two journals, one that is portable! It has to be personal so it can fit within each person's schedule.

So, I've included links to a few other blogs to show how they put theirs together (including Jewels' original link since she is now back)! They will be at the very end of the post.

Another page from my original scrapbook

I actually have two journals, the first being this one I showed awhile back. I've kept it for years and it is all favorite pictures, poetry, etc. I have everything in it, from beautiful still life photos to favorite rooms. It is an actual scrapbook, purchased many years ago at a fabric store.

I still add to it, especially the larger magazine pages that do not stand up well to being cut. My original post about it will show up when you click on my Scrapbook Journals below.

First, I find beautiful pictures and prose from gorgeous magazines. Here are a few I like to use. I spent many a Winter evening propped on my bed and cutting out pictures last year. I'm not much of a hoarder but I do tend to hang on to magazines that I love (they are stored in vintage suitcases in my family room).

So... I had lots to choose from. I cut mine out ahead of time since I tend to get fatigued very easily. It's a good downtime project. Then, when I have the energy and desire to get creative and write in my journal, everything is ready.

I keep everything I need together... scissors, little X-acto knife, adhesives, etc. They're in the vintage baking dish. Yes, I do tend to get the color red in just about every project.

The pictures all get filed in the file folders where they most belong (some could be filed under more than one but I choose where I'll probably use it most). The file folders are the kind that have their sides sealed. I think they're called pocket folders at the bookstore.

Some of the file headings are: Spring/Easter, Summer/4th of July, Autumn/Thanksgiving, Winter/Christmas, Vintage looking decorating, Flowers and Gardens, Vintage Kitchens and Dishes, Tea Time and China, Words and Prose... there are more but they slip my mind right now.

I keep the files all together in a wicker basket. My scrapbook journal, which is a spiral artist's sketchbook that I've covered with contact paper, is often with my Bible. The vintage baking pan stays in my closet or next to the chair where I'm working.

I glue or tape (double stick) pictures in for about the next ten pages or so, ready to go when I am. Most often when I get some free time in the morning...

Here is an example of a page already finished. I put everything in mine from prayer requests, to seasonal "To Do" lists, to books I want to read or that I am reading, recipes, letters to be sent... anything that can be written down. I used it a lot when planning the graduation open house and what to pack for our vacation.

Here is a list to visit for great ideas:

All my Scrapbook Journal posts
Jewels' original posts that started it all for me
Cheryl's post (Scroll down a bit)
Kimberly's post
Holy Experience posts
Storybook Woods... here, here, and here
By Sun and Candlelight post

Happy 21st Birthday, Christopher!

I'm certain younger mothers began to roll their eyes when they hear it one more time.  The sentence we whose children have grown up tend to mumble quite often.  "Where did the years go?"  But it is oh so true... it seems one day I had a blond little two year old and then a lanky thirteen year old and now a twenty-one year old young man!

Since cash is tight right now, all he asked from us for his birthday was to have a few of his best friends come home with him over the weekend for an old fashioned LAN party (with all their computers linked together).  I heard laughter until the early morning hours and when I awoke this morning, nearly tripped over old Nintendo 65 cables and games.  I haven't seen them in years.  No wonder the guys were all laughing. :)

Good times and good friends, who could ask for more than that?  Well, perhaps good grades in the upcoming finals.  Except for Christopher (who stayed here last night), they made their way back to campus and early morning classes... with me yawning even though I was in bed by 11:00!  Such is life when you are twenty-one.

Picture:  Christopher and his honey, Miss M, who also turns twenty-one soon.

Sunday Afternoon Tea

I have been re-posting this the Sunday after Thanksgiving for awhile but I thought... perhaps this year... with so many affected by the economy... it would be good to revisit this post before the "official" start of the Holiday season. It is all about the year I changed the way I "did Christmas".   :)

I remember coming to the end of a Christmas season about ten or twelve years ago and wondering at my frustration.

There were no severe money trials that season, nothing that should have kept me from enjoying Christmas but... I couldn't put my finger on it... there was this sense of a lack of satisfaction... an unsettled feeling.

Soon after that, I was reading an article (magazine... book?) about this very thing. In it, the author said she learned to write out what it was she wanted from the Christmas season, what was most important to her. When I started doing that, I realized why the previous season had been lacking in joy.

It had been a rushed Christmas, the "doing" of many activities I felt I should do and not "being" the person I wanted to be that Season. My frustrations stemmed from a lack of getting away, alone beside my Christmas tree, enjoying that which comes from prayer and study and reading of books. I also had not said "no" to some outside activities that did not bring peace and joy.

Since that time, I have enjoyed making a list each season. My list has changed since that time due to health and finances but only in the "big" things. My list back then included attending a Christmas concert that I loved each year. However, it became too expensive even when we did have a regular income. It wasn't that much of a priority that I'd spend more for tickets to a concert then I would on a week's worth of groceries.

Another item on my list that has gone by the wayside is hosting a big Christmas party. I loved decorating the house and having a lot of people over but that season is now behind me. I remember one very magic (Narnia magic) party in our former house when we invited over Stephanie's college group. There was a tree in the family room and one in the living room, a fire was burning in the fire place, food placed in various areas, conversations were going on in many rooms of the house.

Later that night, as the young people were leaving, one student came up to tell me that night will be one of his "perfect Christmas memories" when he leaves college. It is one of my perfect memories, too. :)

I have found by making a list of those things I love about Christmas, I can make certain what means the most to me (and for my family) becomes a priority for time and money. Here are a few for this year, written out on paper before transferring to my scrapbook journal. Of course, I can't do them all but any of them on the "wish list" would make my season bright.

• Decorating the house with my snowman collection
• Carefully placing all my ornaments on the tree
• Morning quiet times in the dark, with the tree lit
• A breakfast out at Cracker Barrel during Christmas
• Lunch with the guys at our favorite cafeteria
• Holiday Baking
• Candy Cane Lane tea
• Listening to the music of the season
• Watching favorite Christmas movies
• Reading favorite Christmas books
• Seeing what yummies The Food Channel comes up with this year
• One or two Pumpkin Spice Latte's to enjoy
• A morning at Panera sipping coffee and writing a real letter
• Visit my sister, Bonnie, to see how she decorated her place (she has that wow factor)
• Send a small gift to my sister, Jean, knowing it is her first Christmas as a widow
• Send Christmas cards to our elderly aunties
• Visit my favorite "downtown" primitive country store... breath in the scents, no purchase necessary

Most of my list this year involves more solitude than in the past. It has been that kind of year. None require much money.

This is only a way of thinking through what brings joy... and peace... and faith... and what lifts my thoughts to the One Who Made Me.

Little satisfactions in the most wondrous and magical time of the year.

I encourage you to brew a little pot of tea and fill your favorite tea cup, bring along a notebook and pen, light the Christmas tree if you have one, and think about those things that bring joy to your heart at Christmas. Are you making time for them? Did you budget for them through the year? What makes your heart sing with gladness?

You don't need to do them all, just choose a few that will cause you to look back at this Christmas and smile... and remember, Christmas is not about the price of gifts or how many are given, it is about the Giver of all gifts.

The winter storm way of pantry planning

Oh, how I wish I had time to respond to all your comments!  Better yet, you were enjoying tea and Stephanie's lemon scones here in my living room.  Someday I will have another "Comments on Comments".  :)

However, I do want to talk about the comment regarding Glen Beck's latest show, advising people to stock up.  I didn't see it even though I had planned to tune in (family duties calling me elsewhere).  However, I know he has advised people to stock up on food and essentials since he was on CNN.  Yes, he is a Mormon and no... I am not (different theology, same feelings about stocking up).  ;)

Okay... here are my thoughts (and they are not in the canon of scripture so take them as just my opinion)...  I think we're in trouble with a capital "T" (name that movie?) here in this country.  Those of us who live on a fixed income are definitely the canaries in the coal mine and we have been hurting more as every month goes by.  Yes, we do depend on food pantries much of the time and we have watched those lines become longer and longer.

I have lots and lots of good links on the sidebar, should you want to learn more about stocking up but one thing I'm asked often is... "What are your priorities when you do have extra money which you use for the pantry?".

I think of what I'd hate to be without in case of a winter storm, the kind when you look outside and whiteout conditions are so thick that can't see your car in the driveway so... unless you're pregnant and the pains are five minutes apart... you stay inside.

Thinking of priorities for the pantry comes easily as I was raised by a mother who 1) went through the Great Depression, 2) raised her original seven children on nothing, 3) grew up in the country without a car, and 4) was paranoid that some disaster would befall us and if we had plenty of food in the pantry... at least we'd eat.

Which probably explains moi'... my poor family.  But I digress...

There are the obvious medical priorities such as my insulin these days but I always kept a prescription children's Advil on hand when Christopher was little (this was before it was available over the counter) as he was prone to very high fevers.  Migraine Strength Excedrin would fall a lot further down the priority list.

Toilet paper is obvious but one would hate to run out of garbage bags, especially if you depend on trash pick up by a company which will only accept the garbage in appropriate bags once they can get to your house.  I would hate to run out of laundry detergent or dish washing soap.

I once ran out of eggs when the trucks could not get "into town" after a blizzard so I'm usually well stocked with eggs.... they last for weeks and weeks if kept in their original containers in the refrigerator.  All baking ingredients are winter storm essentials (flour, sugars, yeast, etc.) and I like to keep extra butter stored in the freezer (slipped into gallon size Zip Lock bags).

Of course, I buy extra milk if there is a winter storm watch but I also keep at least one or two of the aseptic boxes of milk which can be stored on shelves.  You can't imagine how many times these have saved me during cooking and baking when I realized I didn't have milk in the frig. I do always have dried milk but when one is in the middle of a recipe...

When I think of a winter storm, I want to have on hand batteries and blankets and candles and matches and flashlights and things important should the electricity go out.  Which also includes food which does not have to be cooked on my electric range (and I don't plan on grilling in a blizzard unless it is to heat water for coffee).

Have you ever been in the grocery store during a winter storm watch and notice what foods are in the carts?  Along with milk and eggs, one almost always finds potato chips and cookies and donuts and ice cream and all kinds of comfort foods (including those alcoholic for those so inclined).  It is almost as if, when one is threatened by a storm, it gives one a free pass to bad nutrition.  At least that is my thinking when there is a box of Krispy Kreme in my cart.

What else do I consider of great importance with my budget?  Well, coffee and coffee and ummm... coffee.  Tea and a little sweetener.  Milk or cream for the coffee.  A French press for the coffee in case the power goes out.  Perhaps some hot chocolate added to the list.

When we have been hit by the winter storm of unemployment in the past, I was very happy I had extra books to read, videos (DVDs) to watch, and board games to entertain.  Having sewing and crafting supplies for projects on hand was such a blessing during these times.  If cotton fabric continues to rise in price, you will be happy you stocked up on quilting fabric... as if a quilter needs any encouragement to purchase fabric.

Personally, I see storm clouds on the horizon and I think any extra funds which are put into essentials are going to be a huge blessing in the long run.  If nothing else, they will be cheaper to buy now should inflation hit as those who are in the know and honest are saying (the two or three of them we can locate).

Like me, all you can do is what you can given what you have to work with... money, space, time... and leave the rest to God.  I can't do very much but I do have friends who have helped just as I used to be able to help others.

Do I think stocking up (when possible) is showing a lack of faith?  Absolutely not!  If it were, then Joseph would not be a hero and he said it was God who placed him in Egypt to save his people by "stocking up".

Now, if I hoarded food and got all ugly and never gave any to my neighbors who were out of work... then we're getting on the non-Christian side of thinking... but the Word says it is a fool who sees trouble coming and does not prepare.

We are to always remember that "perfect love casts out fear" and God will always take care of us but if He leads us to prepare for what may be ahead... and you have that "gut feeling" He is doing so... then develop the winter storm pantry way of thinking.  When you use an item or just think of it... knowing it is essential... write it down on a list you keep for such purposes.

Then, buy a little extra of what is essential.  Just deepen your pantry with what you already use... and remember a little at a time is better than nothing at all.  :)

Answer:  The movie was The Music Man

Picture: Sharing Grandma's Cookies; allposters.com

Teacup love

I must admit that the Tea in Coffee Tea Books and Me has been sorely neglected.  Now that the temperatures are cooler, tea time has returned in earnest although not at the proper afternoon time.  My tea time is most often after finishing the dinner dishes each evening.

I usually brew either Earl Grey Green, Candy Cane Lane, or one of my other favorite teas.  However, if tea is taken earlier in the day, I have been loving Twining's Chai French Vanilla.  Christopher brought it home earlier in the year and it is truly delicious... most like coffee house chai that I've ever tried at home.

Of course, you know my obsession affinity for teacups and teapots.  All pictures shown today were taken in the recent past since I still do not have camera batteries (the budget is being tweaked to add them as a priority).

This picture is showing the bottom shelf of my corner china cabinet.  I always place favorite teacups there which have an inside print just as beautiful as the outside (since one is looking down on the teacups).

This is a view of the top shelf.  It contains many hodge podge teacups and I often place those which were pretty but did not have a saucer.

Both of these tea cozies came from the same thrift shop.  I use the cute blue tea cozy a lot, I love the whimsical cozies and was thrilled to find this one (I think it was a quarter).  The tapestry tea cozy was much pricier, it was an entire dollar.

This picture shows off my favorite teapot (which is often displayed on the buffet, too.  It was my first "English" teapot, a gift from Stephanie while still in high school I think.

While I love teacups and teapots (and what I've shown is just a small part of my collection).  I also look for other pieces of china and crystal at garage sales, thrift shops, etc.

These gorgeous dessert goblets were 49 cents each ($3.00 for all six available at the thrift shop).  I later found similar water goblets for the same price, I use them a lot for special dinners and Holidays.  Similar water goblets were on a blog pic of an antique show for nearly $70.00.

I know there are many who share my fondness for china and half the fun is finding such beautiful items so cheap!  :)

Oh, I can't remember who it was but someone asked awhile back what Johnson Bros. patterns I am always on the lookout for... here is one of them but I love to mix and match similar patterns.

The silverware shown is also thrifted, found at a garage sale... service for at least eight with serving pieces.  I think it was around $30.00, which included the beautiful storage box.  These were once collected a piece at a time from grocery stores!  My mother's everyday china was purchased in the same way.  :)

Last but not least... here is a picture I took a couple years ago of my teacup collection I keep in the drawer of the breakfront (hutch).

Sometimes they get switched out with those in the china cabinet.  Those I always have "washed and ready" for visitors are kept in this drawer, too.

Sweet November

I am ready for cold weather and find myself welcoming mid-November with a big hug.  Albeit, a gentle hug as I "did something" to pull a back muscle last night (working carefully today to baby said muscle but so far... so good).  It's something I've lived with since a childhood fall and a good reminder to be thankful most days for the absence of pain... sometimes it is what we do not have to deal with that we can praise God for.  :)

Somehow the outside cold and fog and overall gloom make for a perfect day to read more of Gene Stratton-Porter.  As I read through Girl of the Limberlost, I wondered why it has taken me so long to read it.  I suppose it has a lot to do with reading fiction being something I have done more of in recent years.

I tended to nonfiction books even as a homeschool mom, my fiction reading was mostly lighter literature like Jan Karon and Miss Read and James Harriot and cozy mysteries such as Laura Childs' Tea Room mysteries.  All books easy to pick up while waiting for the homeschooler at the library or fencing or taking an Algebra class at the community college.  There is probably a correlation between finishing the "hands on" homeschooling years (beginning of high school) and the reading of longer and deeper books.

Mid-November is a quiet time in our home when most lawn and garden work is behind us but we're not quite into Holiday mode.  Especially this year as Christopher will not be home for Thanksgiving, making it the first time we will not be having a family meal here or traveling to a grandparent's home.  We're not quite sure what we will be doing, yet.

Christmas has been quite different for many, many years now.  Long gone are the days of Christmas crafts, decorating cookies, shopping for "just the right" gift, and many of the fun traditions we held tight when there were young children in our everyday life and there was more income.  Instead we developed other traditions and quieter holidays... different but one can still be thankful.  :)

I'll ponder holidays more later but now I must light a couple of candles (for it is dark, even for mid-day) and curl up with Limberlost for awhile, perhaps perusing a few beautiful cookbooks and thinking through what I want to read next.  I'm fairly certain a re-visit to Mitford is in order as I read through a few of my favorite Mitford novels and end with Shepherd's Abiding as Christmas draws closer.

Dinner tonight is easy, just popping a chicken in the oven along with potatoes and carrots to roast along side.  Tomorrow we will revisit the bird in the form of chicken noodle soup... comfort food on chilly days when one once again loves their flannel housecoat and flannel sheets and over sized sweaters and and there is a throw folded at the end of the sofa.

I am very thankful for a day when I can stay still, for books to read, for food in the frig planned for dinner, and most of all... the opportunity to chat all about it to blog friends.

Especially when Miss Victoria is sound asleep under the rocking chair, dreaming of the birds and squirrels on the other side of the window.  :)

Picture: Cookbook and apples; allposters.com

Of books and food and weeds that are not

I seem to think a lot lately about books and food, most likely the result of colder weather and an early darkness settling each day.  Both are drawing me inside to the kitchen and the sofa and to the soft light of candles with autumnal scents.

I wasn't able to accomplish much last week, having received a flu shot even though I know they tend to make me feel on the icky side for awhile.  But after the rounds of antibiotics last winter, a decision was made by both my doctor and me that a flu shot would be a good thing.

The affects of the shot were wearing off by Saturday when we (finally) were able to get the garden beds ready for winter as plants no longer full of life were pulled out by the roots and taken to the compost pile at the corner of our property.  Hubby offered to pull all weeds but upon seeing him reach for a perennial herb, I declined his offer, saying I'll let them be for now.

He made numerous trips with the wheelbarrow full of leaves to cover the soil and the.... ummmm... weeds.  How good it is to look through the window and see a garden ready for whatever winter brings.

There is so much I didn't accomplish this year, the items I thought were important like freezing and canning fruits and veggies, the making of jam, purchasing more honey... the time, energy, and cash needed elsewhere.  But it was a good garden season, for which I give Thanks.

Do feel free to still comment on the "15 Books" post... here.  There are also excellent authors named in the comment section and links to posts on other blogs.  As I read the names on other lists, I was reminded of many other favorite authors who had a great influence on my life (which I knew would happen!). ;)

Another blog post about "15 Books" is at Lanier's... here.  As well as lots of wonderful comments on her post.  Lanier is always good to read!  I always smile when I see she has a new blog post ready to be enjoyed.

TV Alert:  Ree Drummond (aka:: The Pioneer Woman) is featured on a special hour long episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay on The Food Network.  I enjoy this show very much and when I found out about this special Thanksgiving episode, I could hardly wait to watch it.  Believe me, that doesn't happen with TV much, anymore.  Anyway, it is on this Wednesday evening and I'm sure it will be replayed.

I have been seeing commercials for it on The Food Network and there is a link with info on The Pioneer Woman's blog... here.

Picture:  Grandpa's pumpkins; allposters.com

Sunday Afternoon Tea

"...And let us run with perseverance 

the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, 

the pioneer and perfecter of faith..."

Hebrews 12: 1,2

We were traveling a highway through Western Ohio, enjoying a long stretch of four lanes where we did not have to pay close attention to the drive... brain put into fourth gear... miles to go before we had to start looking for our exit sign.

Exhaustion prevailed but we were starting the last stretch of travel, hoping to arrive home before dark if all went well and I kept the speed at five miles over the limit on the highways.  ;)

Home was calling my name and my body complained about the abuse of a 2,000 mile round trip (and frustrated at my fear of flying).

There had been little real color left on trees as we drove home, come to think of it... most of the them were already in their winter sculpture mode... elegant in their own right against the sky after having shed their spring through autumn covering. 

But we came upon a few miles of lush forest and both of us commented on the unexpected beauty which met our sight, for this forest remained full of its' leaves... all in shades of brown... long past the seasons of greens and golds and reds and yellows... nothing left but Beauty in Brown.

I wondered how many would drive through this forest, unimpressed as the color was no longer present.  It must have been breathtaking just a week or two earlier.  But even now, we could see Beauty.  I'm not sure why but the scene reminded me of a phrase a former pastor used to use... how God loves...

...the last, the least, the little, the lost.

Compared to their former glory, the trees were far past their prime but when looked upon by one who could appreciate them as they were... beautiful past prime... they were just as glorious as before... different but breathtaking in their humble shades of brown... hanging on now as "the last".

Our appreciation gave value to the scene which most likely would change within days as strong winds would cause the heartiest of leaves to lose their grip on the branch and fall to the ground.  Even then they will have value as they lay below the coming snow and give nutrients back to the soil.

As we continued our drive, I thought of the trees and knew to most their value was already lost as they were lacking the life and color they once enjoyed.  I thought of how people are like that, how the world chooses what value will be placed on a life.  How he who can run fast and handle a football with skill is worth millions of dollars but the one who is not strong or smart or talented is swept aside as not of value... he and she who are the last... the least... the little... and the lost.

Value given was brought to me again the day after Halloween when I stopped by my grocery store to find the large pumpkins which had been $5.00 the day before now being sold for .99 cents each.  I brought two home with me, both in all their glory on my front porch to celebrate Harvest and Blessings.  Later that week, the remaining pumpkins were now free to anyone who wanted them at another store.

Who determines our value?  Have we been brought up believing we are of no worth because we are not beautiful enough or smart enough or talented enough... or even unwanted in the first place?  Who do we see when we look in the mirror? 

Who decides who is last?  who is least?  who is little?  who is lost?  Who decides the value of a person... the media... TV... movies... magazines... our third grade teacher... the parent who is never satisfied with our life... the religious author who says we are going to hell because we do not dress like they dress or we sing the wrong music... who then?

If we find our value in any but He Who Created Me, we will forever be chasing a perfectionist dream, finding ourselves on the gerbil wheel of life running after the approval of others.  We must "keep our eyes fixed on Jesus" and not others who would tell us we are not good enough or beautiful enough or rich enough or smart enough or holy enough. 

For once we have accepted Him as Lord and Savior... God views us through the lens of the forgiven and not the fallen.  We are His Treasure... we are "loved with an everlasting love"... and if beauty truly is in the eyes of the Beholder... we are Beautiful... and very, very Valuable.

15 authors you love

My talented young friend, Sarah, had this challenge on her blog yesterday.  You are to name 15 authors you love, just off the top of your head.  Without putting a lot of thought into it!

Of course, if I spent hours thinking of this I'd probably have a slightly different list but not much.  I must admit to tweaking this just a little bit (being older than Sarah, I have more years to sift through!).  :)

So here are what I will call my most influential nonfiction authors as well as favorite novelists... just off the top of my head!

Francis Schaeffer
Edith Schaeffer
Susan Schaeffer Macaulay  (do we see a pattern here?)
Elisabeth Elliot
C. S. Lewis
John Piper
Alexandra Stoddard (yes, really...)
W. Phillip Keller
Sally Clarkson
Elizabeth Goudge
D. E. Stevenson
Catherine Marshall
Jan Karon
Randy Alcorn
Jane Austen

Sarah's original post in which she gives this challenges and talks about updating one of her books is... here.

Feel free to take the challenge on your blog or add to it here.

This and that and a recipe link

Happy Veteran's Day to everyone who served our country.  My husband received such a nice card yesterday from the family of Christopher's girlfriend... a Thank You card for serving our country.  Hubby was in the Viet Nam war before we met.

It still smells like autumn here!  I used to enjoy walking the trails at a local park on days like this, especially when we were homeschooling in the younger years.  Instead, today I will be taking advantage of the Indian Summer warmth to work in the garage awhile... just a little at a time.  :)

All this week we have had places to go, appointments to keep, and people to see.  So it is actually nice to have a day to slowly work on organization projects.  Especially those (like the yard and garage) which will be more difficult when the weather turns colder.

Speaking of cold weather, Stephanie has posted two recipes on her blog that I have been nagging requesting from her... but I wasn't the only one!  She served the chicken chili for dinner one night at it was wonderful! Her dad usually is not a fan of chicken chili but he wanted me to make it here at home.  It will be perfect for the cold days ahead (I will make slightly less than this recipe calls for unless Christopher is home).

The lemon-blueberry scones were the star of our tea time together, she made them without blueberries since the berries had become quite expensive... and served them with Devonshire cream (or double cream) and lemon curd.  Oh, my... they were the best scones I have every tasted.  Her mother-in-law loves these scones, too.  These two recipes can be found... here.

Speaking of my daughter, she ordered our Christmas present yesterday and since I had to decide the type and color and other important details, I know what it is (her dad does not).  However, I have been given firm orders that I cannot open it until Christmas.  I think that is torture... pure and simple torture.  Sigh...   :-(

Picture: End of the Harvest; allposters.com

Our story within His-story

My mind has been on books and words recently (can't you tell?).  I love just the word literature... how it rolls on the tongue when one says it... not so much when the word is but a thought... but still good.

God has placed us in a Story, His-story.  How amazing and humbling it is as a finite human to be part of the rolling thunder of His literature... His-story.

I often wonder what it is about the Age which is to come that makes us so worth it all. 

Worth his coming and death on the cross and resurrection and living as God in man's flesh for thirty-three years.

We see in a glass darkly here and unlike a book which can be held in our hands, we cannot peruse through and read the last page to see how it all ends.

We... by faith in the Author... knows it all turns out for our good and His glory... but when living the Story there are times we... wonder.

A novel written by one who has been greatly gifted in words often grips us from the beginning paragraph, takes us to places we did not expect, and leaves us knowing ourselves better than before we spent sleepy nights unable to put the book down to sleep.

Some are simply quick reads which give us mental vacations in the midst of the reality of life.  Others... the Russian novelists, Dickens, Austen... invite us into the real life aspects of other humans living on this planet in the midst of a fallen world... and we meet ourselves in their pages.

Then there are those such as... Tolkien, Lewis, L'Engle... who take us to worlds of delight and perhaps what the world would be and could be if it were not fallen... traveling through space and time, Eden on other planets, talking beavers and lions and magic formed before time was written, life amidst the stars, Hobbit houses and Kingdoms built into rock... and we meet ourselves in their pages.

I mentioned to my husband this week that it is best to realize life is never going to be Perfect on this planet.  That it should not come as any surprise when we meet challenges along the way.  The Book... the only true Book... the Book which contains within its' pages the infinite in the finite world... it tells us there will be tribulation in this world... big "T" and little "t".

This past week, I listened as a much loved one was talking over the phone, challenges in their life and decisions to be made which will change the way in which their future will look.  There are great disappointments which were not expected, choices to be made between two equally desired needs for time to be spent, knowing each choice will disappoint and perhaps anger another.

I remind them of their priorities in spite of disappointments and I hear a sigh, as the words are what they already instinctively know but do not want to hear.  As I hang up the phone, I open the Book to the 8th Chapter of Romans and read... and read... and ponder... and pray... for the one I love and myself... that our story become His story as written for each of us.

Is that part of my love for literature?  That I can be taken into another world and someone's story and within the pages... look upon their life and their choices and their decisions and their thoughts... and see it all wrapped up neatly within the covers... hopefully with a happy ending.

Certainly there is the aspect of literature which takes us to places we cannot go and we meet people we could never meet in person.  Whether animals which speak with wisdom or English maidens from centuries long ago or little old ladies who solve crimes while knitting in their parlor... books we hold in our hands add to our lives a little of the infinite in a finite world.

As for me and mine... all part of the great Story being written for the Ages... I must always remember the Author is in control regardless of the chaos of circumstances around my twenty-four hours of days.  While all I see ahead is shrouded in a fog of the unknown... He knows and He guides and He will complete what He started.

That's what faith and hope are all about.

Picture: Time For Reading; allposters.com

Of books and food and other stuff of life

 

Yes... more pictures of autumn beauty because it was so beautiful... and I still have not purchased new "good" batteries for the camera to take any new pictures.  This is the county road which leads to (and from) our house and most of those leaves are now turning into a natural compost on the ground below.

We're experiencing Indian Summer here, with highs in the 60s now and at least 70 by week's end.  If the cycle is normal (and there have been few normal weather days this year), it will begin to turn much colder again by next week.

I've been reading The Pioneer Woman Cooks, as well as gaining five pounds by looking at the pictures.  Oh, yum... quite a few things I'd like to try as soon as these bouts with nausea are over.  One could find a much better place to live when one has sinus "issues"... but instead I take Benedryl and fall asleep on the sofa instead of cooking.  That, too, shall pass...

I've been making more soups lately as they are inexpensive and lovely to just reheat at dinner time.  I'm hoping to bake a couple of cakes and some muffins just for the freezer to have on hand when needed.  I'll just whip up an easy buttercream frosting when needed for the cakes.  I had some cookies in the freezer but gave the last of them to my husband for his brother.

No baked goods will be made until I buy more flour.  For the first time in years (and years), I let myself run out of flour!  That is always a basic commodity on my shelves but the larder has been much less full this past year.  Still, how could I let myself run out of something so basic?

Oh, well...

I pulled a couple of books off the shelves, one being The Christian Imagination (Leland Ryken, editor)... a book given to me by Stephanie a year or two ago.  I read some of the chapters at that time but there are many yet to be read.  The other, A Girl of the Limberlost, and no... I have not read it, yet... even though we visited the area a couple years ago and I have heard about it for so many years.

I think after these books, I will turn to something quite light for awhile as the Holidays come upon us... perhaps re-reading many of the Mitford books.  Eventually as the weather turns colder and real Winter sets in, I want to turn my attention to reading The Lord of the Rings (I read the Hobbit but not TLOTR) and Lark Rise to Candleford.

I have a few unread Goudge and Stevenson books on the shelf, feeling quite badly that they have had no attention, and some others books were given to me waiting impatiently for their turn.  Stephanie keeps telling me inanimate objects have no feelings but then again... she also told me Kermit is a Muppet.  I mean, really... whom can one trust these days?

Oh, two book related answers to questions (of which I am really, really late... sorry!).  

First, I give the Amazon link to make it easier for you to find further info about the book.  I usually check out the Amazon reviews of a book (sometimes knowing I will like a book by who does not like it).  :)

Second, I rarely purchase or read abridged books but I have learned to "never say never".  I do remember buying a very nice abridged version of a child's book at a thrift shop once because it had beautiful illustrations.  I can't, however, remember what book it was (since it was given to the children when they visited that year).

I tend to be a very nosy curious person so abridged versions leave me wondering what they left out.   Having said that... there have been times when reading one of "the Russians" that I may have wished for something abridged.  I have to be in the mood for a really long book and why one would abridge a shorter book is beyond me... unless their name is Reader's Digest.

Now it is time to remove myself from the computer for awhile.  Dinner must be made and for all the cookbooks I've read recently, I haven't even thought what to make.  I will open the refrigerator door and see if the maid left anything after cleaning the house (one can dream, can't they?).  :)

Sunday Afternoon Tea

Thou preparest a table before me 

in the presence of mine enemies...

Psalm 23:5 (KJV)

I have thought of this verse often throughout the years, especially seasons of drought in my checkbook... health... energy... and bleakness of soul.  When Serendipity has surprised me with a banquet.

This favorite of verses (among a much loved Psalm) came to my mind again as we were on the way to Sunday Brunch with my son-in-law's parents.  Baby Anna Evangeline had been dedicated at church that morning with both sets of grandparents in the service.  I found out later that it was tradition for her other grandparents to take the family out for Sunday Brunch afterwards... this time it was "just the grandparents" as they treated us to brunch and conversation.

My husband and I sat in the backseat of their car as we drove through Connecticut woods (for there are woods amongst all the towns there), foliage now muted but beautiful, to a lovely restaurant with equally delicious food... how could I not think of this verse.... amidst the laughter and fellowship of those bound by our children and grandchildren (although they would also be friends by choice). :)

This verse was particularly coming to my mind during this meal as I remembered an equally delicious "banquet in the midst of drought"... our children's wedding weekend of celebration meals.  It was during one of the most difficult seasons of my own life as my health was failing but the illness not yet diagnosed and we had come to the realization we had to sell our beautiful home after my husband's prolonged unemployment.  Had it really been ten years already?

He doesn't promise us continued peace and prosperity.  Neither do we will always receive healing.  Tithing does not prevent unexpected layoffs and eating all our veggies does not prevent disease.  Bad things happen to good people and just as David did thousands of years before... we wonder why the wicked prosper.

But in the midst of difficult times... He provides a banquet.

I love a beautifully set table and that is what we experienced at this restaurant with fine china, flowers around us, a nice atmosphere, and food prepared with care by one who had to be experienced in the art of brunch.  A creatively set table draws us into a universe all its' own... where one puts together a miniature world made lovely by fine porcelain or chunky stoneware and roses or wildflowers and linen or well polished wood.

But sometimes His banquet... the Table He presents in the presence of our enemies... is simply the Beauty that comes with a change of seasons and the eyesight to appreciate the splendor.  For some it is found in the unexpected sounds of Vivaldi being played at a summer concert or the finding of "just what I've been wanting" for a few dollars and cents at a garage sale.

I have felt His preparation of a Table when a letter arrives in the mail or the UPS man knocks on the door with an unexpected gift sent by one who is thinking of me.  For it is in the knowledge and the feeling and the awareness that He is there and He is pouring out His love in some form... acknowledging life is not easy nor (in this world) does it appear fair at times... but giving a bit of Serendipity in the midst of our weariness to keep us going another day.

We, who are of the Book, have but one real enemy... he who rebelled from the Wonderful Place... he who was once Beautiful... and all that which causes sorrow and weariness in this world finds its' beginnings in this enemy.

But while it may appear he is victorious as we walk through hard times... and each day has its' own difficulties on various levels and in numerous ways (large and small)... the One who knows us more than we know ourselves reaches out to prepare that table before us... sometimes literally at an actual table... but most of the time in the form of Serendipity which comes to one who is looking for His presence.

Have you experienced it?  Are you looking?  When the fog of desolation has set in and the sunshine hides and you think you cannot go on one more day... do you look for a sign of His presence?

For it is those who are looking for Serendipity who most often find it... and those who desire His presence who realize that a gift of "brunch out" or a lovely visit to New England or a book or a coffee shop outing or tea time or a car repair or any number of other gifts given to those who could not pay for it themselves... they are all given in the name of the Morning Star... by other sojourners who give openly and willingly of their blessings.

It is these precious people who set the table which is prepared in the presence of the enemy of our soul... and give joy in the midst of hardship... a cold cup of water given in the parched surroundings... the Book says nothing given will go unnoticed by He who Rewards.

As for me and mine... I continue being watchful and thankful as I know He is preparing a table.  :)

Books read in October

First of all... am I the only one who turned the page to November and wondered where 2010 has gone?  I mean, really, we will soon be in 2011... a date I once thought I'd experience only in SciFi shows!  We won't even talk about 2012, especially if you saw the movie... shudder.

But I digress, as usual...

Once again, thank you so much (I wish I could give all of you a hug) those who shop Amazon by clicking on an item in my Amazon widget (any book... you don't have to buy that item).  You have blessed me by taking the time in this busy world... and I am more diligent about going through my friend's link so she gets credit.

You will see that my original "to be read" list took a detour the way of New England.  I just could not have that delicious library of books (and I do mean Library) at their house to go to waste.  So... while others chatted and some cooked (I did help with clean up later)... this Mom made her way to a cozy chair in the Master Bedroom we had taken over... and read.  Sigh... Heaven.

So, here are my books read in October... some of which were perused.

The Country of the Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett

I wrote about this when I started it last month.  Imagine my surprise and delight when I first actually saw Stephanie's house at dawn (we arrived in the dark) and there were fir trees just like in the book!  The book starts rather slow but oh, so good.  No wonder it is still a classic and it has to be read slowly to fully take it in.

I think you'll especially enjoy it if you are interested in herbs as one of the main women in the book grows medicinal herbs.

Amazon link... The Country of the Pointed Firs

The Teaberry Strangler by Laura Childs

This book was waiting for me, having been purchased by Stephanie when she was on a trip and needed something to read.  I saved it for when I knew I'd be recovering a bit from the trip when I arrived home and it was really, really good.

Fans of Childs' Tea Mystery books will know there is a somewhat usual plot (someone gets murdered, cops don't find the culprit, tea room owner always snoops and always gets in trouble and always gets her man-woman).  However, it is in the telling and doing that it is a fun and quick read and one has to love the tea room scenes!

Amazon link... The Teaberry Strangler (not in paperback but should be soon)

When Children Love to Learn; A practical application of Charlotte Mason Philosophy for Today, Elaine Cooper General Editor

Stephanie has been telling me about this book since she first read it.  When I first began homeschooling, there were few books about Charlotte Mason (but all of the very good) and now there are wonderful websites, blogs, and many books.

I couldn't read all of this book, just too much information, but I enjoyed perusing through it and then giving a few chapters (written by various authors) more attention.  It is a very good book for all homeschoolers but especially those who prefer teaching in the CM manner.

Amazon link... When Children Love to Learn

For the Family's Sake - The Value of Home in Everyday Life by Susan Schaeffer Maucaulay

I've already read this book twice before but I once again found myself taking it off the shelves at Steph's house.  It was Susan's original book, For the Children's Sake, that was part of my influence to homeschool Christopher using the Charlotte Mason philosophy (which fit my love of literature and schooling an ADHD boy like the proverbial glove).

In this book, Susan talks mostly about homemaking, family life, raising children, and less about education (although it is still there).  As I read this book the first time, around ten years ago when it came out, I could just hear her mother (Edith Schaeffer) speaking in the way Susan wrote... while also being her own person.

This is a favorite book with lots to think about.  I brought it back with me to continue reading through it... this time for the third reading as I found sections I don't even remember... like her recommending Elizabeth Goudge books!

Amazon link... For the Family's Sake

Faithful Women and their Extraordinary God by Noel Piper

LOVE this book, which contains biographies of women whom God has used throughout time.  Each chapter is a condensed (but excellent) biography of a "faithful woman" including: Sarah Edwards (whose story I re-read while sitting in the cozy chair), Lilias Trotter, Gladys Aylward, Esther Ahn Kim and Helen Roseveare.

It was especially moving reading Sarah Edwards' story again just after visiting Old Sturbridge Village in Mass. and having some idea of the living conditions which were prevalent just a few years after Sarah lived... and OSV is in the same state the Edward's lived. 

Noel makes each woman come alive and leaves us with the realization that God can use us where He has placed us... whether in "good" or "bad" circumstances.  Noel is an excellent writer, I also loved her book called Treasuring God in Our Traditions... which was a gift from my daughter one year.

Amazon Link... Faithful Women and their Extraordinary God

My Life For Yours; a Walk Through the Christian Home by Doug Wilson

I love picking up a book and find an "old subject" looked at in a way I'd never thought of before.  Doug Wilson walks through each room of a home, looking at it from a "spiritual" perspective.  It may sound boring but it is far from it.  I found myself reading sections of it to my husband, who was trying to go to sleep!

It offers one of the best descriptions of a man as head of the house that I've ever read... not legalistic but still in keeping with what many see in the Word.  One of the sections I read to my husband was how a husband is to be head of the house (by looking out for, protecting, providing for, working for, etc... his family) but it is the wife who is the head of the household.

He suggests husbands be understanding that their wives by nature want to decorate their homes and make them comfy and beautiful for their families and that they should be given a certain amount of budget and freedom to do so... within a budget, of course.

Very interesting book and while I could see how it would possibly be a source of debate... I found it to be very balanced.  (This is not a book about marriage but family life and our walk with Christ, that was only in the opening section if I remember correctly.)

Amazon link... My Life For Yours

Heaven by Randy Alcorn

This is a good sized book that I had heard a lot about.  Still, I took quite awhile to peruse it our last two evenings I had access to the "Library".

Everything I had heard about it was good and I must agree.  Where a question can be answered directly from the Word, Randy gives the Scripture.  Where there are "gray" areas (such as pets in Heaven), he gives his opinion and that which others have written.

Of course, I like it because he believes our pets do go to Heaven if we so desire... even if Stephanie did give me "a look" when I told little Matthew that Sasha is now in Kitty Heaven but I choose to believe God loves me so much... He can cause my beloved furry family members to be There.   Hmmmph!

While a nonfiction book, it reads easily (for Alcorn is a gifted writer) and I believe it would make a great resource book to go back to when questions arise... as well as just an enjoyable read.  I can see how it would be of great comfort to a family member or friend who faces Eternity soon... makes one look forward to being there.

He spends a great deal of time talking about the New Earth, too... a subject which does not get much attention in books.

Amazon link... Heaven (it's available on Kindle but I didn't see it in paperback, yet)

Books purchased with Amazon credit:

Goodness Gracious by Roxie Kelley & Shelly Smith

A wonderfully colorful cookbook which I had fallen in love with when I took it out of the library.  It is but one of a number of similar cookbooks by this author-illustrator combination.  This one was a favorite due to it being about "grace and gracious living" and the combination of recipes and a few prose pages highlight such.

Amazon link... Goodness Gracious  (I bought an inexpensive used copy)

The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond

I've wanted this book since it first came out and when the price dropped to a little over $15.00 new... it was time to use credit to purchase it.

I'd seen various reviews of it online and I absolutely love it!  If you enjoy her blog and recipes, you will enjoy this book.  Shhh... I'm getting a copy for Miss E.'s next birthday when she turns nine... she collects recipe books like her mom and Grammie and she will also enjoy the pictures and easy recipes in this book... it is one of those rare cookbooks enjoyed by experienced as well as new cooks.

I have a feeling her brothers will be looking at all the pictures of the Drummond ranch.  :)

Ree admits (on her blog and in this book) that her recipes aren't always the healthiest but they are certainly comfort food at its' best.  Highly recommended and at a good price brand new... but there are used copies available.

Amazon link... The Pioneer Woman Cooks

I also was able to purchase a used copy of Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus (edited by Nancy Guthrie) to be used in December's Advent quiet times.  It contains individual chapters about Christmas, written by many favorite writers (old and new).

Purchased with the gift e-mail credit

A DVD I've wanted for awhile now!  Take Peace- a Corgi Cottage Christmas, the Christmas DVD about Tasha Tudor's Christmas traditions.  It was beautiful!

I was suppose to leave it in New England for the girls to watch but found it in my book bag upon arriving back home... sigh.  It will be on its' way back to the girls soon so they can watch it as Christmas draws near!

Thank you so much to the anonymous gift giver, you blessed me greatly.

Amazon Link... Take Peace - a Corgi Cottage Christmas

Books given to me by very special authors...

I mentioned to Sarah that I had given the copy of her book I was sent to review to a very special homeschooling friend.

Sarah had a copy with her in which she wrote a very sweet note (just to ME!).  It will always stay on my shelves, as it reminds me of a very special young woman.  Our families became friends when Sally and I realized we were so much alike... we have come to love and appreciate them very much... they are Velveteen Rabbit real.

I once again highly recommend this book for anyone who reads, shops for, gives, or generally loves... books for children and young people.  :)

Amazon link... Read for the Heart

I haven't quite decided upon what I'll read for November...

Picture:  A Good Book; allposters.com