Wordless Wednesday (whatever)

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In a "I Hate Planet Earth" mood right now.  My kids thought it would be cool to grow up and leave me, thereby ruining Halloween forever.  Wow.  Holidays are lame during this "transition" phase of my life.  In 10 months, we will be complete "empty nesters".  I just want my kids back.  Alas.....change is never easy.  Hoping next year I'll have my spooky groove back and pouting for lost babies will be over.  ***Little jerks***

*Happy Halloween*.  I'm going to bed early to cuddle with Kindle and Poe.  And yummy blankets.  Yep!  A perfect Halloween for a ditched 44 year old mother. 



Down the not so very Dead End Road

I know what you're thinking. 

"I get it lady.  You've been to New Hampshire". 

 

But wait!  There's more! 

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October was a beautiful month at Green Gables, when the birches in the hollow turned as golden as sunshine and the maples behind the orchard were royal crimson and the wild cherry trees along the lane put on the loveliest shades of dark red and bronzy green, while the fields sunned themselves in aftermaths. 

 

Anne reveled in the world of color about her. 

 

"Oh, Marilla," she exclaimed one Saturday morning, coming dancing in with her arms full of gorgeous boughs, "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.  it would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn't it?  Look at these maple branches.  Don't they give you a thrill - several thrills? (yes, I know Green Gables is not New Hampshire.  I just love this quote.  Anne get's so excited over Autumn.  Such a sweet thing). 

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Notice how nature uses tiny to large scale shapes and patterns, texture, and color when nature pieces it's forest quilt?  Let nature be your muse.  Nature is an experienced artist. 



I cropped the corner of the above photo so you can see the different sizes and scale of the leaves.  I love the tiny red, golden  spice rack of leaves at the top.  Looks like tiny little brush strokes or cupcake sprinkles. 

I like the layers of color here. 

 

More texture and scale at the wild cranberry bog.

 

I love discovering new flora when traveling. 

What is the plant with garnet red leaves?  I loved it. 

 

Scale, texture, silhouettes and lines. 

 

Sadly, my solitary walk is coming to an end.  The madness of civilization must be faced once again.  Crap.  I like being alone on this beautiful "not so dead end" road. 

 

See the tiny little red house at the end?  It's built on a creek.  I'm going to buy it. 

And live there. 

 

"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy,

amidst the simple beauty of nature."

Anne Frank

 

New Hampshire Walk Down a Dead End Rd.

 

More New Hampshire

 

New Hampshire Twilight

 

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Be blessed and be a blessing! 

 

 

 I embarrased Pooh in front of his friends for the last time.  I hope to regain his trust. 

I wanna be the cool mom again. 



New Hampshire Walk down a Dead End Rd.

Photos taken around Alexandria, New Hampshire

I had to capture the foliage with the sign. My husband's mother was a "Foster" and my son-in-law spells his middle name "Mathew" with one T. It's a sign. !!! LOL I think God wants me to live here. OK, let's go. I'm ready to move to New Hampshire. 

 

I'm always disappointed when I can't capture majesty with my camera.  This is a picture of the pond with foliage reflection.  Maybe I could have taken a better photo if I hadn't been so spooked by the fabled killer Beaver down there.   I was afraid to get too close. 

The "Not Necessarily a Dead End" Road. 

I could have walked forever on this road.  I can't wait to go back and capture it at different seasons. 

It's a wild cranberry bog.  My friend remembers picking cranberries with family when he was little.  And there were all kinds of beautiful birds nesting and hiding in here.  I didn't get any pictures of them, but I could hear them calling each other. 

I think it's a step ladder for a fairy. 

I want to build a play house or a fort in there.  Wouldn't that be awesome? 
I'll make you a mud pie.

Don't forget to look up!!  Being a Texan/Floridian, I never take a step without looking for fear of snakes.  I love it when I remember to look up and see glory in the sky. 

More New Hampshire here

And another New Hampshire post here


Sharing with
Rooted In Thyme Simple and Sweet Friday

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Be blessed and be a blessing!

I have my mom in the palm of my paw. 

More New Hampshire

"Men hang out their signs indicative of the respective trades:  shoemakers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers, a monster watch; and the dentist hangs out a gold tooth; but up in the mountains of New Hampshire, God Almighty has hung out a sign to show."

 

~Daniel Webster~

 

"On and on they flew, over the countryside parceled out in patches of green and brown, over roades and rivers winding through the landscapes like strips of matte and glossy ribbon."

 

~J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows~

Taking it all in, with my favorite friends. 

 

Human beings are remarkable - at what we can learn to live with.  If we couldn't get strong form what we lose, and what we miss, and what we want and can't have, then we couldn't ever get strong enough, could we? 

 

~John Irving, The Hotel New Hampshire~

 

Life isn't long enough to do all you could accomplish. And what a privilege even to be alive. In spite of all the pollutions and horrors, how beautiful this world is. Supposing you only saw the stars once every year. Think what you would think. The wonder of it!”   

 ~ Tasha Tudor ~   

 

 

 

Mere color, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways. ” 

 

~Oscar Wilde~

 

 

"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful,
we must carry it with us, or we find it not."

 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

 

Another New Hampshire post here,
And another here

And more to come. :)  Stay tuned! 

Linking with:

Mellow Yellow Monday

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Be blessed and be a blessing!

 

While Watching "Lion King", his favorite movie, 

Pooh holds his sister's hand. 

 

 

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Still not feeling well. 

Feeling some better, but not really. 

Wanted to stop in and say hello. 

Hooches and smugs. 

((((group hug))))

 

Wordless Wednesday

Link Lovelies

Alicia Paulson's Felted Ornaments are sweet and irresistable.  It's been awhile (decades?) since I've made a felted ornament.  No time like the present, to start a new project.  I've been following her for years and love every single thing she does.

Culinary Concoctions by Peabody  I saw this recipe as a sign.  (Not that I need a "sign" to make a cake).  My husband's mother is a "Foster" and my husband had a wonderfully loyal Springer Spaniel named Mr. Peabody for 16 years..........therefore, this Banana Foster's Crumb Cake recipe found over at "Concoctions by Peabody" begs to be cooked.......and eaten.....eaten quickly before it must be shared with many peoples.  YES!  It's a sign. 

U Create has 30 Fabulous Scrap Tutorials.  If you don't know about U Create or haven't subscribed there yet, do it today.  So many sweet, fun, lovely things.  Something for everyone really.  It's one of my favorites.  Can't wait to dig into my scraps and make things for Christmas! 

Jackie Clark's Sweater Jacket :  About Jackie's sweater jacket below (I love her patterns BTW), when I saw that jacket pattern on her site, all I kept saying to myself was that line from Waynes World, "She will be mine.  Oh yes, she will be mine."  I can't wait to get this pattern and make this.  It's soooooo ME. 

 

 

Better Homes and Garden Fall Basket   Just thought this was really pretty and not too difficult.  We've all got baskets.  Stack them up with greenery, etc.  The directions are on the BHG site. 

 

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Be blessed and Be a blessing

 

 

I asked Pooh to change the litter box.  He impudently replied it was the dogs turn. 

Cathedral Windows

My back is super out.  As in O.U.T. .... 

 

OUT!

 

All I'm able to do is sit around and work on hand projects. 

 

DARN! 

 

My poor husband and son are having to do everything;  all the cooking and cleaning. 

 

Bless their pea pickin' hearts. 

I'm stuck here sewing with lots of Fox News, BBC, Netflix, Harry Potter movies,
Pinterest and your blogs. :) 

 

I worked a little on my Cathedral Window.  I'm using my mother-in-law's old pattern she gave me.  I'm also using tons of Moda Candy or their little 2 1/2" mini charms.  They are brilliant for Cathedral Windows because they are pre-cut and perfectly scrappy.  You'll have a little piece of everything in your quilt with very little repeats. 

 

 

Birds and Flowers...my 2 favorite things in life.

 

 

 

"The touch, the feel of cotton.  The fabric of our lives....."  la la la

 My precious.  !!!  A piece of "vintage" Fig Tree from Moda, the backing to a much loved

red and yellow quilt. 

 

 

My little brother's picture. 

Sharing with these Linky Parties:

Tuesday Time Out at Reasons to Skip the Housework

Fabric Tuesday over at Quilt Story

WOW: WIP on Wednesday at Esther's Blog

 Link Party at Freemotion by the River

 We did it Wednesday at Sew Much Ado

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Be blessed and Be a Blessing.

 

Choose Joy! 

 

"I love it when my Mom is sick, because then I get extra lap cuddles.  I think it makes her feel better when I snuggle and rub my furr all over her stuff".  ~ Pooh speaks

 

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2 Kings 20:5 "...I have heard your prayer and seen your tears;

I will heal you...."

I had to turn off comments due to spam.  If you need anything or having questions, please email.  :) 

 

 

New Hampshire twilight

A wet autumn in New Hampshire didn't keep us from our twilight hike.  Embraced by the gloam, nothing was going to take this "feel the joy and live in the moment" experience from me.  I had mud to my knees, but I was determined to rejoice in the majesty and breathe deeply the New England fresh air.  The beauty of the misty woods in October erased any regrets of NOT wearing boots for our walk.  Later, this evening became known as the legendary "Swamp Stomp".  

 

Perfectly peaceful and pleasant memories were made with my sweet friends. 

 

I miss New Hampshire. 

 

I love this picture. As a Floridian who no longer owns a fireplace,
the wood burning smoke smelled deliciously good to me. 
This photo makes me want to whisper. 
I don't know why.  LOL 

The soft October rains
Had left some scarlet stains
Of color on the landscape's neutral ground;
Those fine ephemeral things,
The winged motes of sound,
That sing the "Harvest Home"
Of ripe Autumn in the gloam
Of the deep and bosky woods, in the field and by the river,
Sang that day their best endeavor...

 

Frances Fuller Victor



Sharing with:
Mosaic Monday at Little Red House. A pretty place to visit.

 

 

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Be blessed and be a blessing

 

 

 

I hurt his feelings.  Pooh couldn't face me.  But he didn't have the courage to leave. 

Weekending

Make a memory.
 

Enjoy the people you love. 

Photo taken at Indian Rocks Beach, FL

Vintage Thrift Store Wedding Arbor

I'm sharing my daughter's thrifty, DIY, $5,000 budget wedding as time allows, as well as all the hard lessons I learned as mother-of-the-bride-who-pulled-the-whole-thing-off.  Hope you find the info inspiring and helpful. 

I'm a VERY LUCKY thrift store shopper.  I always find what I want.  But I could never find cheap costume pearls.  I think fake pearls are expensive.  Especially when you want a lot of them.  I found a HUGE bag of Mardi Gras beads for $2.00.  The light bulb went off.  Duh.  I'll just spray paint them.  They turned out nice I think.  We at least accomplished the look we wanted.  I would have used a different color of paint, but,

It was good enough.

While I'm at it, I'll just show you the whole arbor.  I used Grandma's lace tablecloths, which added to the sentiment.  The geraniums were purchased on clearance at JoAnn's. We bought real geraniums but it didn't fill in the pots as thickly as we wanted. So fake flowers it is! 

It was good enough. 

I had been buying up lace curtains in thrift stores and draped them over the steps. I think I might have used push pins in strategic places to help hold them in place. The aqua IKEA candle jars held them down too. We had originally wanted the lace curtains to run all the way down the aisle, but it was too windy. :( 

It was good enough. 

With grandma's lace, the chandelier, thrift store beads, thrift store lace curtains, cheap IKEA vases and clearance fake flowers...the whole thing cost around $100.00.  The chandelier was most expensive, which we could have done without, since the arbor was so low they couldn't even stand under it.  So theoretically, if you left out the chandelier, you could pull this look off for under $50.00. 

Hard Lesson #2:  It. Is. Good. Enough.  Let your perfectionism go.  It looks beautiful.  No one but Martha Stewart or David Tutera would notice and since they weren't invited, your safe.  :)  It's good enough!!!  Let. It. Go.  Walk away.  Now go enjoy your child's wedding. 

Programs and Thank You notes with leftover Fabric Scraps

Hard Lesson #1 and Pics of Set Up Night.

(The first 2 pictures are mine.  The rest are Meegan Weaver's.  We highly recommend her as a wedding photographer.  Please don't take her pictures without giving her credit). 

Be blessed and Be a Blessing!

Sharing with:

French Country Cottage ~ Feathered Nest Friday

Inspiration Friday ~ At The Picket Fence

Pearl and Lace Thursdays at Faith Grace and Crafts

Flaunt it Friday ~ Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

Domestically Speaking Power of Paint Party

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Curiously, ZuZu questions, "Is that Laughing Cow I smell?"

Psalm 103:17 ~ But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children--