HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

May you all have a blessed and joyful 2016!

I, for one, will be in bed by 9 tonight. Early to work tomorrow. I never have been one to stay up until midnight, but have fun if you do that sort of thing. :)

Remember this?

I wrapped up 2015 by FINALLY finishing my Sketchbook Project sketchbook!!! Here's the last page. I'm not sure if I'll add color to this or not. I'm so ready to stick it in an envelope and mail it off! I look forward to doing art just for the fun of it, with no deadlines involved! There are a few paintings in here that I really like. Glad I made copies, and they will be available online as well. Glad that's wrapped up!

 

My last dinner of 2015. Yes, it was delicious! :)

This is what I'm currently reading on my Kindle...It's fun!

And this is waiting in line...

 

Adele is 9 months old today!

This is what her Mom said about her on Facebook:

Someone is 9 months old today! And this little peach has been standing here pushing hot wheels cars around for almost 20 minutes! She has been doing a lot of standing and letting go for quite a while, soon enough she will be running around with her sisters ☺ she is getting her 7th and 8th teeth, is eating 2-3 jars of baby food a day, working on saying "dada" which comes out as "gaga" and she found out she can scream, really loud and at a pitch only dogs can hear, always with a big smile! She is the happiest lady around! Love you Adele JoLee, I'm so blessed by you!

 

So many blessings in 2015! God is good, all the time!

 

Praying for much peace and joy in your new year.

 

Shalom!

 

 

A wonderful Christmas was had by all...

I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas. Grandkids certainly add to the fun! I spent the day at my daughter and son-in-law's house. We ate breakfast together and then watched the girls open gifts. Lots of excitement! Then we played with many of their puzzles and board games.

It was a nice day of visiting and enjoying each other's company. One last gift was saved to unveil today. A new sled! Adam pulled the girls around the yard. They'll have to find a hill somewhere. Their property is pretty flat, but I think Grandpa, down the road has some hills.

 

My good kids gave me a couple of gift cards for Amazon. I had a fun evening yesterday spending them! I bought some art supplies. I'll try to remember to blog about my purchases when they come in the mail. Yippee!

 

I'm tired after a weekend of work. Tomorrow is a day off, so I think I'll turn in so I'm rested enough to enjoy it!

Praying you all have a blessed 2016! Shalom!

 

I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year,

"Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown."

And he replied,

"Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God.

That shall be better than light, and safer than a known way."

(Minnie Haskins)

It's a bird, it's a plane!

No, it's just my crazy neighbor in his flying lawn chair...
He must have thought it was fine flying weather at 24*!

I don't actually know who this person is, but over the years we've seen this contraption being flown on very rare occasions. An intrepid soul lives in our little town.

I have an action packed day tomorrow. After work I have to run to the UPS store, the post office, the bank and maybe back to the post office, all within an hour or so before they close. I've drawn up my itinerary, now I just need my starting blocks!

Have a great week and a blessed Christmas if I don't get back to bloggyland before then. :)

Shalom!

Kuh-blooey!

Yeah, got blindsided by that 24-hour bug that's going around! I woke up just after midnight, right after my last post, sick to my stomach. I won't go into graphic detail, but I did spend the day in bed, almost passing out the two times I ventured forth to get water and saltines. I'm not sure I've ever experienced this type of bug before, but it was a doozy. I slept all day and finally felt like I could ambulate at about 6 p.m. Daughter, Micah, asked if I wanted her to come over with some food, but I discouraged this, not wanting to infect her. Besides, the thought of food just wasn't inviting. A few crackers and sips of water was all I could manage. Anyway, I woke up the next morning feeling pretty good. Went to work with no lasting effects from the illness. It reminded me of labor; all that pain and then, like magic, it's gone. lol.

Anyhoo, enough about that! Oh, and I'd like to delete the part about probate in  my last post. Major senior moment! I remembered that my dad deeded that property over to us years ago. Too many details for this brain to hang onto. Glad I won't have to live through the probate adventure.

Micah took some beautiful photos of my two older grands, Audrey and Hazel...



Audrey Rayne

Hazel Jane

Best friends and sisters.

I've been looking for a copy of The Space Trilogy all in one book and here it is! Yet another Christmas present for myself. :) I first read this as a teen, then as a young adult. It's about time to read it again! :)

 

 

Alistair Begg has been emailing me devotionals lately, and I realized they were from this book by Charles Spurgeon. I like them so much I decided to get this for my Kindle. (99 cents!)

I hope you're

all staying cozy and warm

and enjoying your Christmas season!

 

 

We finally have a clear day

with sparkling snow.

God bless and shalom to all.

 

 

Climbin' back on the blogging wagon...

Seems like I fell off the blogging wagon there for a while. I've just been working, resting, babysitting and watching a lot of Christmas movies. My evenings seem to slip away so quickly and I just haven't had the "oomph" needed to think of something to write!

I'm about to learn about the intricacies of probate. I need to get my dad's piece of property transferred into my name. I'm selling it along with my property and need it to be legally clear and in my name to do that. I've just started corresponding with a lawyer (the wife of my realtor) and I hope it won't be too tricky. Another learning experience!

Have any of you noticed the Pioneer Woman dishware at Walmart? As a Christmas present to myself I've purchased a few pieces. My old mismatched dishes are headed for the thrift store. I still need a few pieces, but I'm purposely buying only a few settings. Just enough to have the kids over for dinner. Any more is superfluous. :) The colors are sort of washed out in this photo, but you get the idea.

The grandgirls gifts are wrapped and ready. I'll probably have Christmas breakfast with the kids and grands. They usually have a full schedule of visiting other grandparents later in the day.

 

This is my newest crèche. I bought it at the Dollar Tree! The little scene behind them is a manger scene I found among my mother-in-laws belongings. She glued a picture from a magazine onto a piece of wood. It's become one of my traditional decorations.

It's windy and snowy outside. Not the 8-12 inches they were forecasting earlier in the week. Just a couple of inches. It's the icy rain that came down just before the snow that's making things slippery and driving slow. It should pass tonight and be pretty nice the rest of the week. My weekend off is coming up!

I babysat Audrey and Hazel yesterday. Micah had a dentist appointment to get some wisdom teeth pulled, so Adam drove her and they took Adele with them. We had a nice day together watching movies, coloring, splashing around in the kitchen sink, and playing Candy Land among other things. One of the highlights was when the conversation turned to flying kites. (I don't remember how that happened, but anything is possible with little people!) Three year old Hazel was describing to me the many problems that can arise when flying a kite. They can go over the pasture fence. They can get stuck in a tree. But she remembers vividly when her kite went way up high in the sky. "Up high in God's town!" Such exclamations of delight warm a grandma's heart. :)

This photo was shamelessly stolen from the internet.

Just for the record here are my four latest ATC's for the Curling Up With a Good Book swap...

Think I'll catch up on a few of your blogs and then call it a night. Thanks for dropping by!

Merry Christmas and shalom to all!

A sweet visit...

I'm so grateful for the blessing of having my boy here for five days. Two of those days were spent on the road driving to Minneapolis to pick him up at the airport, and then deliver him back. (I got back at 1:00 a.m. this morning with daughter Micah, who did the driving!) But driving time is good visiting time, too.

We didn't "do" a lot. We mostly enjoyed just "being" in each other's company. Jordan's job/ministry keeps him running hither and thither a lot, so we decided to just relax and let things unfold as they would. We're both contemplative types, so it takes a while for things to begin to flow out of all that thinking. This nice long visit allowed that to happen and I think we learned a lot about each others' hearts. He awakened a vision in myself and daughter Micah, to take the next steps in our creative lives. Micah wants to do her photography professionally, and I want to use my writing and art. Jordan made us aware of some video and print resources that would help us learn more about how to proceed. He's all about encouraging people in their giftings. Love that boy.

Jordan with youth pastor friend, Rachel.

I was tempted to get a little weepy this morning (Shoot, I'm crying right now!) as I unmade his bed and washed the bedding. "He's gone already," my heart moaned. Then I reminded myself that, no, he isn't gone. He's just down the road (1,000 miles) doing something that God has put on his heart, and that gives him great joy. And he is surrounded by so many people who love him and will look out for him. No worries, as he likes to say. :)

My next ATC swap is called "Curling Up With a Good Book". Here are my first three...

Time to start thinking about doing some Christmas decorating and sending out some cards.



Merry Christmas to all!



Shalom.

A visiting son...

As I've mentioned in previous posts, my son, Jordan is visiting for the week. We've been having such a good time just hanging out together. I think he needs to just relax, rather than making lots of plans. We're alike that way. :)

We were snowed in yesterday. Well, not really, but there was lots of snow and we decided to just stay home. This morning we ventured out to breakfast, did a little shopping, and then took some lunch over to daughter Micah's and spent the afternoon with her and the grands.

Here are some shots from yesterday when Micah and the girls visited at my house.

Hazel and sidekick, Adele.

Jordan and Adele get acquainted while Uncle Jordan tries out his new camera.

 

Audrey's hair...

I found you, big sister!

 

Just a quick hello. We're going out to Zorbaz tonight with Micah and Adam and kiddos. Then more loafing around. It's so nice to have some extended time for talking. Jordan is such an encouragement and has given me some new ideas about how to pursue my creative interests.
 

 

Hope you're having a great week!  Thanks for dropping by!

 

Shalom.

The History of Mr. Polly...

This movie reminds me of the last line of Northanger Abbey, where Jane Austen poses this conundrum: "I leave it to be settled, by whomsoever it may concern, whether the tendency of this work be altogether to recommend parental tyranny, or reward filial disobedience."

Somewhere I came across a reference to this movie (The History of Mr. Polly) and thought it sounded interesting. My assignment, if you should choose to accept it, is to watch the movie and tell me what you think of it. :)



The description of the movie pegs him as a daydreamer. Now, I hate to talk down about daydreamers, being one myself, but this man is a totally irresponsible and lazy individual. I like a movie where the characters get their just desserts in the end. This one seems to reward Mr. Polly's self-centered and infantile behavior. The moral of the story seems to be, if your marriage stinks, get out any way you can, even though your own foolish choices got you into trouble in the first place. Anyway, you get my drift. This has been a Lisa Movie Review. I think it would be fun to see what others think.

In other news, I'm enjoying lots of Thanksgiving leftovers! I hope you are as well...if you like that sort of thing.

That's all I have for now. Enjoy your weekend(s)! :)

Shalom!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Hoping you have a wonderful day of thankfulness with family and friends!

 

 

I am thankful for my wonderful family and my friends!

 

Shalom to all. 

Bon Voyage, Badger!

Our favorite Badger has resumed his world wide tour! He is now in the capable hands of the U.S. Postal Service (we hope and pray). The colder weather has definitely put him in sleeping mode and I think his cozy, padded envelope, with snazzy blue stripes, will be a warm place to take a long nap on the way to Heather's house in Indiana.

 

 

I was very remiss during Badger's visit. I forgot that he likes to have a red cotton handkerchief to put over his face while he naps. Maybe Heather can find one for him? (These two illustrations are from my own treasured copy of The Wind in the Willows.)

I actually did a little more knitting on my baby afghan squares yesterday. I now have 6-1/2 of the 9 squares I need. Adele may be a teenager before I finish this project. 

I just wanted to post this quickly so everyone would be aware that Badger is on the move again. Maybe he'll arrive at Heather's in time for Thanksgiving! Have fun with him! :)

 

Shalom and Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

 



A YouTube kind of day...

Once in a great while I actually watch videos on my "Favorites" list on YouTube. On this cold, snowy day it seemed like a good idea. I came across this and thought I'd share it here. I just love Itzhak Perlman!



I also watched this almost "real-time" video about knitting socks. I've always been fascinated by the idea of using double-pointed needles. (I just watched National Velvet yesterday. My favorite scene is where the mom is sitting by the fire knitting a sock!) It was kind of confusing in spots, but I imagine it's something I am capable of learning...someday.



I watched son Jordan's church service this morning and they  played this video during the offering. These pups (The Newsboys) are getting older, but they can still sing, (and play those drums!) and I'm blessed every time I listen to this! :)

Several hours have passed since I started this post and the snow is coming down pretty thickly. I hope the roads aren't too bad in the morning.

Have a blessed Sunday! Shalom.

On the Road Again...

Well, Mr. Badger has had quite a relaxing time of reading, knitting, drawing and indulging in hours of quiet introspection while sipping mugs of tea in the northwoods. It seemed that fall would go on forever with moderate temperatures (for Minnesota) and drizzly rain. But then...

 

 we awoke to this! Gusty winds and snow...

 The sudden wintry weather seems to have had a soporific effect on Mr. Badger. He's growing groggy and longs to curl up in a warm spot...perhaps a nice padded mailing envelope?

 I will miss his quiet companionship. He's almost like a member of the family!

 But we both agree it's time for him to resume his travels. He's snuggled up to a nice cup of hot chocolate which will fortify him for the next leg of his journey. Thank you for the visit, Badger! You know the true meaning of hygge and I will endeavor to continue living that lifestyle. :)

 I hope to get Badger's things organized and his traveling envelope packed and ready to go in the next day or two. He will take off for the magical land of Indiana to visit Heather at Blackberry Ramblings for the holidays. I look forward to reading of his adventures there. Have fun, Heather! :)

We've had so much rain lately that we haven't seen much of the sun. Here's a pretty sunrise from a few days ago.

It looks like winter's finally making its appearance. Take care out there if you have snow and ice. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Shalom!

Teeny tiny adventure books...

Any Bronte fans out there? I recently found a link to an article about these tiny little homemade books, created by the Bronte siblings when they were very young. Fun to look at.
They inspire me to make handmade books for the grands!

Son Josh just called to wish me a happy birthday and to let me know they're sending me a "care package" containing  a set of flannel sheets! (100% cotton) They had seen me whining on Facebook about my hives and thought the sheets might help. Now that's a wonderful and practical way of helping. Bless their little hearts.

Hope you're all being blessed today as much as I am. :)

Shalom.

Various afflictions...

Ha! Poor me! It seems I'm being ganged up on by those evil twins, Chest Cold and Hives. Quite the combination! My, no wait, THE cold (I don't want to take ownership of it) seems to be running it's course and is getting better. Other than the freaky coughing fits I had at work today.

I'm still trying to pin down the culprit that's causing the hives. I think my polyester bed sheets are numero uno. I've had hives for about 3 days, and they were worse this morning. I just started sleeping on these sheets a few days ago, hence my suspicions. The hives had pretty much cleared up by the time I got off work, but I'm getting some itching again since returning home. Polyester in my clothing? I'm going to try wearing more cotton. This is a new allergy to me. (And the bed sheets are "going away", obviously.)

We're having strong winds and occasional light snow flurries. A good day to be at home reading and doing art. Badger has been practicing his pen and ink skills. He did two renditions of the Wild Wood. The shrieking wind and snow outside reminded him of a special visit he had with Mole and Ratty in his cozy burrow.

Did I mention that my son Jordan is coming for a visit? He'll be flying up our way on November 30 and will stay until the following Friday. I'm going to play hooky from work and spend lots of time with him. We (daughter Micah and myself) are very excited! We will take her van full of us and the grand girls and pick him up in Minneapolis. It's quite a drive, but she's much braver than me.

I think I will make this short and sweet. Off to cook up some soup for our supper. Stay warm and cozy everyone! Hygge's the word! :)

Shalom!

Hodge-Podge!

Another fairly gloomy November day...but a day off! 

Badger and I decided to do some organizing of the stuff that travels with him in his envelope spaceship. The postcard collection was in disarray, so we got them in order. The next hostess in line can easily add her postcard to the end of the queue, as they say in the UK. :) 

 

 

The nosey neighbors watched through the window.

 

Badger visited while I did a little doodling in the traveling book.

 

He admired his portrait...

 

I think it's finished, but you never know about these things.

 

Random! I found this on Pinterest. Now I could live in this!

 

Very snug (except for the gas can?)!

 

After much plopping down and rearranging Micah got this shot of the three girls. Audrey's smile had gotten a little frozen by then. lol. Still a good shot of the three of them.

And some new shots of Starry...

 

...and Nathan! :)

 

Here we have Adele the pink poodle, Hazel the Spiderman and Audrey the Batman-with-a-braid. Someone congratulated Micah for being so open-minded as to let her girls wear "boy" costumes. Heck, she just thought the padded muscle shirts would keep them warmer! You can fit lots of layers under there. This is Minnesota, folks! :)

Micah is sporting a cowl that I arm-knitted. Yay! One project I actually finished!

 

There has been some discussion about why some of us bloggers are "no-reply comment" bloggers. I had no idea why I was, so I went searching for answers. I came across this conversation on the Forums. It was written 3 years ago, but seems to be an answer of sorts. So, if you're interested in this topic, please check it out here....no-reply comment blogger


I couldn't help sharing this brief video. My son, Jordan, is not only the worship leader at Open Door Church in Burleson, Texas, but is also recruited to do some fun videos like this one. Deacon J...that's my Jordan! Enjoy! :)


And now, off to do some reading and enjoying the rest of my evening. Hygge to everyone!

And shalom.