Out With The Old. . .

Many people look forward to the new year for a new start on old habits. ~Author Unknown

A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other. ~Author Unknown

Do you make resolutions for the new year? I usually don't, but last year I did. I made three resolutions. They were:

1. Eat less

2. Walk more

3. Be thankful

How did I do? Well, a lot of days I ate less and walked more. But, unfortunately, there were more days when I ate more and walked less. I will keep them on my list for this year.

As for being thankful~I believe that I was more thankful this year than last. But not thankful enough.

I am planning to start a Journal of Thanks. Everyday I want to write down at least one thing that I am thankful for that happened that day. I hope that I will write down more than one thing~but, at the very least, one thing will be required. This is something that I really want to do. God has blessed me with so much in my life and I want to honor Him and make being thankful all for my blessings a habit.

And this year I am adding a fourth item to my list. I want my house to be more organized than it is. It is something that I have been working on for several years and there have been many improvements. But, there is still room for more!

Blessings to all of you!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!

Have A Blessed Christmas

A few decorations around the house. . .

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

R~Mary

Christmas Week

Good morning! I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend. We had a very cold weekend, but it was nice and sunny. The only way to enjoy the sun, though, was from inside looking out!

We had a very enjoyable Christmas program at church yesterday. A lot of singing, reading scriptures, and reading Christmas poems. One young man read the legend of the candy cane, and handed out candy canes to the congregation.

I especially loved the scripture reading and singing. We sang several Christmas songs that I'd never heard before. I love Christmas music. I listen to it throughout the year at different intervals. Do any of you?

This week is going to consist of a lot of cooking and cleaning~and I'm ready to get started!

R~Mary

Gifts

If you are like me, you don't really need any gifts this Christmas. Nevertheless, I will be giving, as well as receiving gifts this year. But we are really cutting back on our spending. I am making several gifts and they are very inexpensive to make. They are fun to make, and I hope they will be useful to the people that receive them.

When I receive a handmade gift, it always means so much to me. I think of all the work that went into the gift, no matter how simple or elaborate. In those cases, it really is the thought that counts, because they were thinking of me while they were making it!

Of course, the best gift of all has already been given to us many years ago--the main reason why we celebrate at this time of year!

Are you making many gifts this year?

R~Mary

Tuesday

We are having bit of winter weather here~lots of sleet with a little bit of freezing rain fell yesterday and throughout the night. Not a lot of accumulation, but it is very slick out there if you are not careful. The local schools have cancelled classes, so I'm sure all the kids in our area are enjoying themselves.

I wanted to share a picture of the Pashmina Wool Scarf/Shawl that I won in a giveaway at Barbara's blog. I'm afraid that the picture doesn't quite do it justice. Isn't it beautiful? Thank you so much for a great giveaway, Barbara!

And, there is more good news~she is having another giveaway, so click on over there and register for one of her beautiful scarf/shawls!

Have a great day~and stay warm!

R~Mary

Saturday Morning Drawing!

And the winner is. . .Marsel and family!! Congratulations! Please email your name and address to me so I can get the apron, recipes, and cookie cutters right out to you!

Thank you, everyone, that participated. This has been a lot of fun for me and I hope to do it again soon!

R~Mary

It's Friday!!

Today is the last day to put your name in for the apron giveaway~so scroll down to the post below and sign up if you haven't already. I'm so happy to see how many of you have signed up!!

Last night I won a Pashmina Wool Scarf from Barbara at The Serenity Gate! Thank you, Barbara. After I receive it, I'll post a picture of it for all of you to see.

Be sure and check out her blog today. She has a recipe posted for chocolate covered cherries that sounds easy to make.

R~Mary

Good Afternoon

I am having my first ever giveaway! I'm sorry that it is a little late for Christmas, but I hope to get it out to the winner before Christmas arrives!

This is a vintage/thrift giveaway. All items were bought second hand at my favorite thrift shop.

The apron is a cheery red check with white band and ruffle. It is perfect for Christmas and year round if you love red~which I do! The cookie cutters are a mix of vintage metal and plastic, all Christmas designs for those special cookies this time of year. There are a couple of more cutters that didn't make it in the picture that will be in the giveaway.

There is also a copy of Holiday Desserts published by Kraft foods in 1993. There are seventeen recipes in this little booklet and all of them look delicious!

Please register by Friday, December 12. I'll be drawing the winner's name on Saturday, December 13, and will get the package out to the winner as soon as you provide me with your address!

If you mention the giveaway on your blog, please let me know and I will put your name in the drawing bowl twice.

And you know what? Nothing goes with those Christmas cookies better than hot cocoa! Click on over to Sue's blog and register for her Holiday Hot Cocoa giveaway!

Also, check out the great giveaway over at The Serenity Gate and register!

R~Mary

Monday Evening

Thank you all so much for your well wishes! They were greatly appreciated. I'm finally back to about 95%, I think!

I did an ornament swap with my friend Allison over at Alpicks Treasure. This is the ornament, kitchen towel and sweet poinsettia soap she sent! Thank you Allison!

For all of you that like giveaways~I am having my first one!!! It is a little late, due to being sick for a week, but I hope to have everyone signed up by Saturday, December 13. Come back tomorrow, see the giveaway and sign up!!

R~Mary

Under the Weather

Be back soon!

R~Mary

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

Wishing all of you a perfect day to give thanks for all your blessings!

R~Mary

Saturday

Only Robinson Crusoe had everything done by Friday. ~Author Unknown

I thought this quote was appropriate after my last post! I did get almost everything done on Friday. I decided not to make and freeze the sweet potato casserole. I'll just mix it up Tuesday night and keep it in the refrigerator until Thursday.

We are having some cold weather today. It is so gray outside it looks like it's about to snow. We did manage to get some wood split this morning while there was a little bit of sunshine out.

We had a small 2.5 earthquake here in the Ouachita Mountains yesterday~about 5:40 p.m. I didn't feel it, but it was south of us--and 2.5 is usually the minimum 'shake' that people can feel.

Have a great weekend.

R~Mary

Wednesday Afternoon

Hubby took this picture a couple of weeks ago~I thought it was so pretty!

I finished my Thanksgiving shopping today!! It seems I dragged it out a little longer than I did last year, but I didn't want to buy the potatoes, butter, etc. and have them taking up what little extra space I have.

Friday, I plan to take the turkey out of the freezer, bake my rolls and put them in the freezer, along with my sweet potato casserole and my sausage/celery/onion/butter mix for the dressing. This is something I had planned to have done two weeks ago.

The more I have finished this week, the more time I'll have for the house next week. I'm sure some of you are way ahead of me!

R~Mary

An Apple A Day. . .

"Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed."

~Robert H. Schuller~

I love apples. For years I couldn't eat them without getting a tummy ache. Whatever the problem was, it is gone, and I'm loving them once again! We've had apple bread and apple pie several times these past few weeks. And I love the way the apples and cinnamon make my house smell! At least all these years I've been able to enjoy the scent of apples and cinnamon, but I must say that it's nothing compared to the taste.

I took the above picture of the leaves under our lone apple tree. We've no idea what species of apple tree it is, so we haven't any pollinator for it. Still, it's blossoms are beautiful in the spring, and the leaves gorgeous in the fall. I'd love to plant more apple trees this fall, but we've about run out of time. Maybe we will get a few in next spring.

R~Mary

Simple Woman's Daybook Day~November 10th

Outside my window. . .It is cloudy this morning, which seems to make the color of the sweet gums even brighter! Rain is on the way and will probably wash away some of our beautiful leaves. Even so, the colors have been lovely the last few days.

I am thinking. . .about winter, wondering if it is going to be as cold as our persimmon seeds are predicting!

I am thankful for. . .my home, my husband, our children, and the life that we have here together.

I am wearing. . .blue jeans, warm socks, and an over-sized warm shirt

From the kitchen. . .apple bread this morning, soup for dinner, chicken for supper, and brownies for dessert.

I am reading. . .re-reading Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinor Pruitt Stewart

I am hoping. . .that the rain will hold off until I can get some more firewood stacked on the porch.

Around the house. . . it is still early, so the hustle and bustle has not started. My daughters are still asleep and my husband has left for work. I can hear the roosters crowing outside and the wind is beginning to pick up, sending acorns from the live oak trees pinging down on the tin roof.

One of my favorite things. . .chamomile and mint tea

A few plans for the rest of the week. . .make valences for the kitchen and dining room, finish painting a wall, take time to write a friend.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you. . .

Pumpkin playing in the grass.

Please visit Peggy to meet other women participating in The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Thursday Afternoon

We had a beautiful, warm day today, but the temperature is on the way down. I think we'll have several days of low 60s--not cold, but definitely not the upper 70s like we've enjoyed the past few days.

This is the shade I made for my kitchen. I've had it up for a couple of weeks. I like it, but I think maybe larger checks like this pattern compete with my cordwood walls. I'll remember that the next time I pick out material!

The cabinet is a little pantry that hubby made for me. I put a heavy 'whitewash' on it and then a dark glaze to age it. You can still see some of the pine knots through the glaze.

I began buying my Thanksgiving 'supplies' today. I hope to have everything purchased for the dinner by the end of next week~and then start cooking ahead. Do any of you cook and then freeze any of your dishes for Thanksgiving? I've found that it makes the day so much easier and I get to enjoy more of our guest's company:)

R~Mary

Election Day!!!!!

DON'T FORGET TO

Monday Morning Musings

We had our first real freezing temps last night. I'm afraid my petunias, tomatoes and summer squash are toast! It really wasn't supposed to get quite this cold, according to the weatherman. You would think I would know by now NOT to trust him.

Most years, my flowers don't freeze until the week before Thanksgiving, so I'm wondering if this is also a sign of a cold winter? We had over 10 heavy fogs in August, and my hubby's aunt reported that onions have unusually thick skins this year. We cut open a couple of persimmon seeds this weekend and they all have spoons~a sign of snow. It has been a while since we've had an especially cold winter, so I guess we are due one.

The chickens don't seem to mind the cool mornings. They are always anxious to be let out and start their daily hunt for bugs.
I found this metal chicken/rooster basket at the flea market last week. I think he is so cute!! He is out on my porch right now, but I'll be bringing him in for the winter. I'm looking forward to using him to decorate with all year round. I can see him with pine cones or Christmas balls in December. Then, maybe some little cloth hearts, followed by pretty eggs, then shamrocks, and on to some red, white, and blue for next summer!

R~Mary

Wednesday Afternoon

It's a beautiful fall day outside. We were expecting rain, but got sunshine instead! I love the way the water in the pond reflects the color of the leaves. As you can see from the picture, we still have plenty of green leaves that haven't changed.

We've picked quite a few of our little pumpkins. Some were 'volunteer' plants from last season and the Baby Boo pumpkins were planted in late June. Our big pumpkins are still GREEN!

This crisp weather has me in the mood for soup, so I am going to try a new recipe for supper tonight~Cheeseburger Soup. This is where I found the recipe:

http://www.recipezaar.com/32898

I am going to substitute real cheddar for a portion of the cheese in the recipe. It just sounds like too much Velveeta to me! I made some bread yesterday, so we will toast some of it to go with the soup and my daughters are talking about making crab cakes~which will be another new recipe for us.

R~Mary

Tagged!

Sue over at Simple Country Pleasures has tagged me to tell 7 random things about myself. I must choose 7 to carry the tag on, so I'll choose 7 blogs that I'd like to know more about. Rules are easy, link to your tagger, share 7 facts, random or weird and choose 7 others, of which you will notify and share links. The seven I choose are: Nancy Jo, Debs Room, Alpicks Treasure, Thriftshop Romantic~and I think I've read this tag on most of the others!

My Seven Random Things:

1. I recently gave up coffee, now I drink herbal tea at breakfast every morning.

2. I collect old pictures from the late 1800s-early 1900s.

3. I have been working on family genealogy off and on again for over ten years.

4. My favorite small towns in AR are Eureka Springs and Mountain View.

5. I have made several quilt tops, but have not quilted any of them.

6. I am learning to knit--starting with a knifty knitter loom kit.

7. I was born without an organization gene, so I spend a lot of time sorting through things and attempting to organize them.

For all of you interested in Primitive Crafts~we are having a give-away over on our craft blog: Cordwood Cabin Primitives. Pop on over and sign up!

Butter Stretcher

There has been a lot of 'talk' among bloggers lately of ways to save money, so I thought I'd share this recipe for 'soft' butter spread that I have used for years. It is from Cheaper & Better by Nancy Birnes.

Country Butter

1 pound of margarine (I use butter to avoid hydrogenated fat)
1 cup corn oil
1 cup buttermilk

Whip ingredients thoroughly in a food processor or with a hand mixer. Store in tightly covered container in the refrigerator. Will keep well for one month.

You can halve or quarter this recipe if you want to mix up less spread.

Since I use butter instead of margarine, I usually take it out of the fridge about 5 minutes before I want to spread it on toast, muffins, pancakes, etc.

R~Mary

Nature's Beauty!

The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough. ~Rabindranath Tagore

I took this picture last week when we were out driving the back roads. I will miss the butterflies when winter comes!

R~Mary

Fall Days

A little color is starting to creep into the Sweet Gums and Oaks down the road! I noticed this morning that our Dogwoods are also starting to change. I hope to go back in the mountains and get more pictures tomorrow or Friday. Hope you are all enjoying your fall!

R~Mary

Fall Days Around The Homestead

The chickens are busy. . . .

and the pumpkins are growing!

Hope you're having a great week! I'll be back soon.

R~Mary

Friday!

We are having a beautiful day! It was 48 degrees this morning, so all the windows have been open wide. It is warming up this afternoon, so I've closed up the house and turned on the air to get rid of some of the humidity. I'm looking forward to the days ahead when I won't be turning the air conditioning on at all.


This is a picture of a Great Blue Heron that likes to hang out on the creek at the beginning of our road. We've been trying to get a good picture of one of them for a while. Hubby's effort last week is the best so far, as they are very camera shy.


Have a great weekend,



R~Mary

Wednesday!

Everyone head over to Stitchinbythelake and check out Marlene's giveaway! If you haven't visited over there before, you're gonna love her blog~!

My friend Bebe has given me the Blogging Friends Forever award~thank you Bebe!!




There are rules for this award ~
1. There are only five people allowed.
2. Four have to be dedicated followers of your blog.
3. One has to be a new follower of your blog, or live in another part of the world.
4. You must link back to the one that gave you this award.
These are so difficult to choose because I love so many of your blogs!! But, rules are rules, so here are my picks
Well, the rules say only 5 people~but I want all of you to have it. I have met so many wonderful, sweet people here in blog land and I just can't choose!

R~Mary

Fall Baking

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Swirl Bars

1 15 oz can pumpkin
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda

Combine pumpkin, 1 1/3 cup sugar, oil, & eggs, mixing well. Combine dry ingredients. Add to wet ingredients and blend well. Pour into 9x13 inch, greased baking pan.

Cream Cheese Swirl

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar

Beat Cream cheese and 1/2 cup of sugar until creamy. Spoon 1 tbsp. at a time to top of pumpkin mixture, using all of it. Swirl cream cheese with a knife throughout cake for marbled effect. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool and enjoy!

Makes about 2 dozen

I had a picture to go with this post, but I guess Mr. Blogger doesn't like it, as I cannot get it to upload.


R~Mary

September Days

"By all these lovely tokens

September days are here,

With summer’s best of weather

And autumn’s best of cheer."- Helen Hunt Jackson, September, 1830-1885

My windows were open all day so we could enjoy the lovely breeze. I can't believe that September is over half over! Time flies by so fast! Hope you've all had a beautiful day.

R~Mary

Tagged!

My friend Marlene, at Stitchinbythelake, has tagged me to tell 6 random things about myself. So, here goes:

1. When home alone, I prefer my house to be totally silent--no radio, television, or music.

2. I love to read mysteries. My favorite authors are Agatha Christie, Mary Roberts Rinehart, and Anne Perry.

3. Although from the South, I prefer my ice tea unsweetened.

4. I like garlic salt on my popcorn.

5. I like to write romance and mysteries.

6. My two favorite pies are pecan and buttermilk.

I am supposed to tag six more people, but I've seen this tag on several of your blogs--so, if you haven't been tagged-----you're it!

R~Mary

Organizing

Living in a very small house, I spend a lot of time organizing. . .and reorganizing. That's not to say that I am what you might call, 'organized', LOL! I just work at it a lot.


One thing that has bugged me for a long time is the stack of mail that is always on one of my kitchen counter spaces. It's not that everybody just chunks it there instead of putting it up. That's really the only place for it. But I still don't like to look at it.



So I am happy that my solution to this problem involves something that I've always wanted. Which, if you know me very well, you will guess is something old. I spotted it right away the last time I was at the flea market.

This old bread box, with it's rusty patches and fruit motif is the perfect solution for my stack of mail. At least for now. I'd love to have a real desk area for our bills and mail, but that will involve a little more creativity at some point in the future.

For now, my counter looks a little less messy. Do any of you have some tips for organizing small areas?

R~Mary

Sunday Evening

"Pray often; for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan." John Bunyan

I keep this framed quote hanging in my kitchen. Many times it has been a special reminder to me!

Blessing to all of you this Sunday,

R~Mary

Friday!!!

Our day is starting off nice and sunny! I hope it stays that way, as Ike is going to send us buckets of rain and lots of wind by tomorrow night. I've got the oil lamps set out, just in case! We lost electricity for a few hours when Gustav's remnants came through and knocked over a few trees onto power lines just up the road.

This is the tin punch sign that I am going to hang on my family 'picture' wall. I punched it last week, but it is not quite finished, as it still needs to be 'antiqued' to get the shine off.

I copied the letters from a free font sight on the Internet and the round design I put on the ends is from a punching book that I have. It's been a while since I did any punching, and I'd forgotten how much fun it is to see the finished product!

Hubby hasn't started on the frame just yet, but I'm hoping we might get to it this weekend, as we'll pretty much be trapped at home by the rain, if we get as much as they are saying. The little low water bridge at the beginning of our lane has water just below the top, so it won't take much to get it running over.

Everyone have a great weekend.


R~Mary

Fall Decorating. . .

I'm still working on getting out some of my fall things. I'd like to get out some sweaters, take a walk through the falling leaves and maybe sit around a campfire~but it's a little early in the season for that. Still, my hubby did mention that the hickory trees were starting to turn yellow back in the mountains behind us!

I found this wreath at the flea market last week. I really like the way it looks on my front door. This is the first time I've ever put up a fall wreath.

I found this material when I made a stop at Wal Mart. I like the patchwork look it has and think it might make a nice shade for the window on my kitchen door. My daughter says the patterns in the squares remind her of something that Charles Wysocki would have painted on a quilt. It's not truly a 'fall' pattern, but I think the colors in it will do nicely. I should have enough left over to make a table runner.

The little ceramic pumpkins in the bowl were on a shelf at the flea market and I just couldn't resist adding them to the small collection that I already have.

I hope all of you are having a nice day. It rained all night and is quite soggy outside this morning. I'm wondering if we'll end up getting any rain from Ike, once he has made landfall. Seems we've just had too much rain this year. We had too little for several years, so I'll just be thankful that we're not too dry anymore.

Happy fall,

R~Mary

Goodbye Gustav!

Gustav has bid his final farewell to us! I will say that I am glad to see him go. It did rain some during the night last night, but today was sunny and warm~and a little too humid.
This morning, my daughters and I headed north a few miles and did a little bit of flea-marketing. After all the rain we've been having, I just couldn't resist this cute little folk art style Noah's ark. It was only $3! I also made a few other purchases that I don't have any pictures of yet~including a few fall decorations to put around the house that I'll share with you sometime next week.


Everyone have a great weekend!


R~Mary

An Award!!!

My friend, Marlene, a fellow 'Arkie' blogger, has recommended my blog for this award! If you don't know Marlene, please go on over and take a look at her blog. Not only does she make beautiful quilts, she will literally keep you in 'stitches' with her fun and clever posts. She never fails to bring a smile to my face~unless it is a tear to my eye when she reminds us of the complexities of life and our duty to love and care and support each other in all that we are going through. Please check out her blog, if you aren't a regular visitor over there!

Here are the rules:

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs

I always find it hard to pick blogs to pass an award to. You are all so special and I enjoy 'visiting' on all of your blogs! Please consider this award passed on to you, if you stop by here!

R~Mary

Rain

Gustav is too late to spend the holiday weekend with us, but he managed to show up early this morning. We will get about 6-10 inches before it is over~a little more than we need, so there will be some flooding in low areas. We'll also get some cooler temps while he is here, so I won't complain too much.

I do pray that all of you in his path weathered the storm okay. I know there is a lot of damage and water left behind.

I've got housework this morning, but I think I'll spend the afternoon curled up with a good book and a cup of tea.

R~Mary

Progress!

We've still a lot to do~but the decking is down! Our next step is a trip to the sawmill to purchase cedar boards to cover the 'skinny' porch posts. Then the railings. Then, the ceiling. And steps. Can't forget steps~they'll be next, I hope.


Right now we're using hillbilly steps~the aluminum ladder you see in the picture!

The cats, of course, think that we built the porch for them.


Pumpkin is especially fond of the old swing hubby

brought out of storage. I'm not sure how much she'll like it once it's hung.


Poppy? He can't be bothered with silly things like swings.









Speaking of 'next steps'~do y'all think I ought to paint the swing? I can't decide. I'm thinking if I do, I'll paint it red or a very dark green.


Back to work,

R~Mary

Projects in Progress

With fall approaching, I have been making a list of all the projects that I would like to finish up before winter. I don't really like anything other than 'hand projects' in the winter. Things like cross-stitch, piecing quilts, etc. Those are all fine for winter, but I like my house to be 'in order'.

That brings me to my wall. My wall of tongue and groove pine is about 15 feet long and 14 feet high. My goal is to finish framing and hanging old family pictures (from my family and hubby's) that were taken in the 1800s and early 1900s. I have a lot of it done. But, not all of it. Okay, maybe half of it. (And I have been working on this for months!).

There is a mirror hanging in the middle of the wall and over it will be a tin punch sign that says FAMILY. I have it ready to punch, but haven't done it. And then there's the frame for it. Hubby will have to make that. I have in mind something very, very simple. (I can tell he doesn't believe the 'simple' part). I'm thinking maybe I can make it myself with the help of either daughter.

I'm doing a lot more 'thinking' than 'doing', as you can tell. I blamed the hot weather, even though it is cool inside. And now that it is unusually cool for August, well, I guess I have to blame myself, LOL!

I'll let you know when I make some progress.

Do any of you have projects that you've been working on for a long time and just can't seem to get finished?

R~Mary