NEW TRADITIONS...

 

Last year we didn't celebrate Christmas until some time in February,

 and we had such a good time

 when it did happen, 

we decided that we might make it

 a new tradition in the family. 

 We had our Thanksgiving dinner and my birthday celebration this passed weekend.  

Seriously, 

it may not become a family tradition 

but when traveling and job related 

time is involved 

we do it when we can

 and it doesn't lose any of the 

significance or happiness

 no matter when it happens.

The kids all supplied the Thanksgiving and birthday staples 

and we provided the table, chairs,

 potatoes and gravy. 

 It was so good to be together.  

The only downside to it all was that

 Jacenda stayed home 

fighting allergies and a bad cold 

and Tami and Tim had 

to take a detour to get home. 

 They left the Cottage around 3 PM 

and didn't get home until 10 PM 

so it turned into a

 very long day for them.

I always try to have 

a little homemade something of Christmas for the girls to take home with them 

and this year I painted 

quilt squares and snowflakes 

in their favorite colors. 

 The snowflakes are sparkly 

but you can't tell in the photo.

Jake and Jacenda gave me 

this pretty coffee table book

 about plants and flowers.  

Did you know that the common sunflower starts out its day facing east 

and as the day progresses 

the stem turns and by sunset

 it is facing west.  

The head of the flower

 and the roots do not move, 

just the stem rotates and follows the sun.  

I did not know that fact

 and find it fascinating.  

See, I didn't just look at the pretty pictures and I'm taking a wild stab 

that this is why it is called a sunflower. 

 It seems like something 

I should have known 

but I had never heard of that. 

 I'm sure those of you 

who are avid gardeners have.

This bright bouquet came with the dinner

 as a birthday surprise

 from Tami and Tim. 

 Its timing was perfect 

as we had a dark, dreary, cold and rainy day.

  I turned 84 years young 

this past Tuesday. 

 It sounds soooo old 

but I have to tell you, 

I am so happy to be celebrating it.

 I have lost a couple of girl friends 

and a few family members 

who weren't so lucky to reach this age. 

I will admit that I am slowing down 

but it has been 

an enjoyable experience so far.  

We all need to slow down a bit 

no matter what the reason.

 Age is just a number

 and I am beginning to treat it

 with the respect it deserves.

I hope you all had a Happy Halloween.  

We had a lot of happy trick or treaters 

and some candy left over

 for the rainy days!

  

I moved the beautiful orchid 

over in front of the mirror. 

 I'm thinking that these old house windows

 might be too drafty during the winter. 

 It seems to be still thriving.

I want to thank Linda at Life and Linda 

for sharing my last post on her party,

 Love Your Creativity.

Until next time...

May your dreams be of all good things...

Joy is on the way.

...xxoJudy...

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

A LITTLE FALL IN THE KITCHEN...

 

 I haven't done much fall 

decorating this year. 

 I did happen to find myself in the $ Store for the first time in a couple of years 

and saw these really cute little plates.  

I had the larger dinner plates for some years that happened to be also

 from the $ Store.  

I put them together with 

napkins and place mats

 that I have had for a long while

 and with bits and pieces of 

autumnal fruit and fauna...

 

...it is a charming spot for

 dinner for two.

A couple of other spots

 where fall peeks out 

but that is about the extent of 

autumn in the kitchen.

We had to get a new refrigerator.  

Ours went out a couple of months ago 

and we called a repairman. 

 We had to pay him up front 

for the service call 

and before we could even 

get the appointment, 

the old girl started working again. 

 He said that there was nothing wrong 

but, if there was,

 between the cost of another service call, the part that was defective 

and his wages, 

it would probably be cheaper 

to buy a new one.  

She lasted about another month 

and the same thing happened 

so we took his advice 

and bought a new one. 

 I got rid of the stainless steel 

and just got a plain Jane white one. 

 It is a little smaller than the old one

 but big enough for us 

and I love how it looks 

very old fashioned 

and fits in with the look of the kitchen. 

 The biggest appeal is that

 I don't have to 

clean fingerprints any more.  

I had to share the beautiful orchid

 that the kids sent up for our anniversary.

  It is absolutely gorgeous

 and so far it is doing well.

 Of course, it has only been

 a couple of weeks so fingers crossed. 

 A few new buds have already opened up.

The scale of it is quite large.

I hope you all are enjoying 

this beautiful season so far. 

 Our weather has been wonderful 

but it is steadily getting colder.

What a great transition. 

 The Captain gets mad at me,

 but I can't help feeling 

Christmas in the air.

In between our lovely autumn days 

we had a little rain storm. 

 Just enough to make the garden happy

and to justify a home-made and hot,

 creamy bowl of cauliflower soup

 topped with crushed Ritz crackers 

and cheddar cheese. 

 So good!

Until next time..

...xxoJudy...

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

BEAUTIFUL AUTUMN...

Officially fall has arrived. 

 Even though there are little signs of it so far, 

the weather is the first to tell the tale. 

 Our days are still sunny and bright but the nights have turned considerably cooler. 

 Our porch sitting in the evenings,

 while Rugby and Robin prepare for bedtime,

 is requiring another layer of warmth 

each time we take to the rocking chairs.

Things are slowly moving towards normal around here.  

Not to the tune of the old normal 

but to the excitement of things to come. 

 By excitement I mean 

when one of us drags the vacuum out of the closet. 

 Big things will be accomplished!

Healthwise, we are both doing well. 

 I still have back issues and my eyes are improving 

week by week.  

The Captain's sciatica has quieted down

 but he has to be careful

 that he doesn't do anything to aggravate his back issues. 

 All in all, we are able to keep up

 our TV viewing in fine spirits. 

"Suits", on Netflix, is our show of choice right now

 and it is a good one.

As promised:

  Bean was their ring bearer/flower girl. 

 It appears that she took her job seriously.

I promised you pictures of Jake's and Jacenda's wedding and we just got some.  

It was a beautiful ceremony 

and the memories will be so special. 

 I have ordered prints and can't wait to pick out

 some pretty frames to display them in...

...I ordered this one as a canvas print 

and it turned out so well. 

 I just happened to have this frame that it fits in. 

 This frame is just made out of plastic

 but is really pretty and doesn't look like it. 

 I use it for a number of different decor situations 

so this is temporary

 but I loved it placed on the fall mantel.

Speaking of which, I haven't done much fall decorating 

but I did get to the parlor mantel 

so wanted to share that with you now.

Hope you are all well 

and enjoying some wonderful autumn weather.  

We just got the first of our winter flu shots...

(Another bit of excitement.)

Until next time, my friends.

...xxoJudy...

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

 

LIFE GOES ON...

 

It's me again! 

 Looking back I see that I haven't posted since late in May.  

I knew it had been awhile but, truthfully, I thought it had been longer than that. 

 Every week I think I am going to drop by and visit

 but then there always seems to be something come along the pike that puts it all on hold. 

 I know that some of you took your busy time to drop a comment

 and I didn't get back to you.  

My sincere apologies. 

 That was always something that I said I would never do.

Things have come and gone. 

 Things that are considered normal and things that you wouldn't wish upon your worst enemy. ..

 The garden has bloomed its heart out

and now is starting to rest, 

moving towards the end of the season.

After 30+ years the Cottage deserved a new roof.  

It was something that needed to get done before another winter set in. 

 Here she is at the beginning of summer surrounded by her flower garden.  

She was looking pretty good down to her toes,

 but her head was only one breath of wind away from a giant gaping hole...

...now with the flowers almost gone, 

she is in much better shape to meet Old Man Winter. 

 She is now safe and prepared for whatever Mother Nature can throw at her 

but our pocket book is the real sufferer. 

 We had a new roof put on when we first bought the Cottage

 and it blows the mind as to how much prices have increased. 

 Our choice then was a very black shingle 

but over the course of the years it has toned down 

to almost the same color gray that we have now chosen.  

The only difference is all the missing and tattered shingles.

Jake and Jacenda got married. 

 We are hoping to get some pictures soon and I will share then.  

It was a beautiful wedding that took place 

under a canopy of trees, inside a walled garden, accompanied by a string quartet.

The day was absolutely beautiful, although bittersweet,

 as the Captain was not able to be there...

...a few weeks before the wedding, we had gone to the nursery. 

 It was just after Mother's Day and we were so happy to find 

this beautiful morning glory plant for the arbor. 

We hadn't been able to find one in years past and we were excited. 

 A worker put the pot into the car but the Captain had to remove it when we got home. 

 He felt a slight pain as he removed the can from the car.  

The pain got progressively worse as the day and night went on until his whole right side,

 from his waist down to his foot was affected.  

To make a long story short,

 he couldn't move, lay down or sit, without immense pain 

so a long car ride and a full day out was not something he could handle. 

 In his own words,

 "I had to wait 85 years for something like this to happen 

and it had to be at a special time in my only grandson's life."  

We were all devastated.

He is feeling much better now but had a MRI 

and it was the sciatic nerve that got messed up

 and he has severe stenosis between the fourth and fifth vertebra. 

 He has to completely rest and will be going to rehabilitation.  

There he will be treated as to the severity of his problem.  

Surgery is always a possibility but we are hoping that doesn't have to happen.

We hired a gardener to plant the morning glory and mow the lawn, etc.  

The Captain says

  We will have to keep him for another week, at least

 I say, 

Sorry Bud, he is here to stay!

Well, I guess that is enough sad stories for awhile. 

 I hope I don't wait so long to spend time with you again 

but I don't think it will be as often as I would like. 

 Things are very quiet around here 

and since the Captain needs to sit and rest, 

what can I do but sit and rest with him!?  

Nothing much else is happening even in the mode of decorating,

 so when something new occurs, I will let you know. 

 ( I don't think you would be too interested in all the TV shows we will get to watch.)

Stay well and happy and we are determined to do the same.

...xxoJudy...

Sharing today at:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda