Decorating On The Prairie

Subtle Seasonal Changes

Our Thanksgiving turned bitter cold.

Ice and rain.

As if Mother Nature were saying, "Get out of my way.  I'm in charge.  

I'm changing the ambiance around here with early WINTER." 

It got cold.  We stayed inside.

Ate well and visited.

        The ceramic pumpkin that represented the Harvest Season 

was replaced with pinecones in a pretty glass dish that I bought at an ESTATE SALE 

a few years ago and wondered what I was going to do with it.

Answered.

The metal cake stand that I had hid away because I needed to think about being more formal

came out of hiding to stand for a purpose.  Reasons accounted for.  No need to take forever and a day

to use your pretties.  I have made this mistake many times.  Use what you have.

Shop your HOME.

Be HAPPY you can.

Sweet Blessings.

Happily decorating on the prairie

as the Christmas Holiday is upon us,

d

Pursuit Of Happiness

Each day is a great GIFT from a loving God.  I will not take time for granted.  I will be more serious about LIFE, but keep a sense of humor the best way I can and still be able to enjoy the LIFE the good LORD has blessed me with.  There are times I definitely have to talk back at bad moods and remind myself to count my blessings and not forget God's benefits.

FIVE YEARS ago I went through two major surgeries and radioactive ablation for THYROID CANCER.  Through it all, I know that I am ALIVE, but different.  My energy level has been altered. I have to do things differently.  I overheat so easily it is sickening.  I struggle with weight gain and less sleep.  Muscle weakness and fatigue.  Aches and pains galore.  More things than I can shake a stick at. Still I have to remind myself that I am alive.  ALIVE...just greatly altered physically.  I must lean on the LORD big time.  Leaning.  Leaning.  Leaning.

THANKSGIVING is over and CHRISTMAS is on the way.  Of course NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS begin to creep up as 2016 nears.  I will just get very serious about what I can and can not do.  MORE SALADS, less food, more walks and continue to downsize from clutter and earthly woes.  Less stress.  Less stress.  Less stress.  LESS.

I will dance more, laugh more, praise more, BE REAL.

As this day goes to sleep while night sneaks in...I will give thanks that I had an active day surrounded by LOVED ONES and a quiet night.  A bed to sleep in and a meal to enjoy.  Family to listen to and a HUSBAND to grow old with.  A HOME to clean and call my own place.  Waking in the morning hours will be a blessing as the week-end is here.  SUNDAY to REST. 

Family will be traveling HOME soon and I will sit and think about the fellowship we had.  

THANKFUL for THANKSGIVING.  THANKFUL.  
Memories to embrace and call good,
d 


PS
Dear GOD, THANK YOU for my HOME, my Husband, my Family, Health, Wealth and Well Being. Thank you for LIFE, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Thank you.  I am your child and you are my FATHER.    

Peaceful Prairie

As we enter into Thanksgiving time and the CHRISTMAS SEASON,  I hope I can stay calm and poised.  This week THANKSGIVING will take place with a houseful of LOVED ONES here.

Much to do and looking for ways to help make this a less stressful time.  Menu is written out and grocery shopping should finish up tomorrow.  Serving dishes are sitting on the Dining room table waiting to be filled with what will be served over the TURKEY HOLIDAY.

The Centerpiece is on the table and a THANKSGIVING Garland is resting on top of the entertainment center.  Keeping it very low key and SIMPLE.

The finishing touches of a clean house are needing some more attention.  The porch hopefully will get swept and the porch lamps cleaned in a few days.  Camera ready with new batteries.  Beds soon will be made up with fresh sheets.  Bathrooms scoured.  A scented candle on the stove.  Laundry caught up.  Turkey will be pulled tomorrow to begin thawing in the fridge.  Eggs boiled.  Cranberry Fluff Salad will be a new dish to make on Tuesday.  Every day something else will be prepared to enjoy.  

TIME to think what I am thankful for.

A warm HOME.  

PEACEFUL.

CALM.

THANKFUL for so very much.

Appreciating Almighty God and HIS brilliance.

God Bless you and yours this THANKSGIVING week,

d

100 Years of Family Dinners ★ Mode.com

JIBBER JABBER

This past week I was able to travel to where my Parents live and help celebrate my dear Dad's 89th Birthday at a party.  
He no longer knows me, but still has a very sweet disposition.  At present I am not lingering on the fact that he doesn't know me.  I know him and kiss him on the forehead.  Tell him, "Hi Dad."
Always, ready for a smile.

HAPPY when we sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

After putting off buying PUMPKINS before Halloween....I ran into a problem where I couldn't find PUMPKINS for sale.  They went so fast this year.  The local Grocery Store where my Mom and Dad live had some, so I bought two of them and now they sit proudly on my front porch just in time for THANKSGIVING. 

What would my THANKSGIVING be like without PUMPKINS on my porch?  Alright, missed.  I would be VERY disappointed if we did not have PUMPKIN PIE to eat as well as DRESSING at meal time.  My Thanksgiving meal isn't complete without these.  TURKEY OF COURSE, but if I don't get DRESSING....it's not pretty.

I overheard one dear Lady tell another Lady how she gets her Christmas cards filled out right after THANKSGIVING.  I think I really ought to address the envelopes and sign the cards in July, leaving the envelopes open to insert a Christmas letter in December.  The last few years I have ran way behind on getting these mailed out.  Praying to do this earlier this year.  Lil Miss get 'er done here.

We still continue to go through our STUFF.  This will be put on hold after this week-end so we can concentrate on THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS and NEW YEARS.  

Then back to the grind of ALL THINGS NEAT and accounted for.  TAKING months to conclude.  It's the Season Of Life I am in.  Better now than later.

I know...I move so much slower these days I have to plan way ahead.  This is doable and I am alright with it so long as the finished results are good.  Grins. 

Hopefully the discounted Tulip Bulbs purchased will make their way into the ground this week-end.  Come SPRING there should be WHITE TULIPS to greet me in the flowerbed.  SPRING.....deep sigh with smile on my face.  Spring.  Sweet thought.

COLD WEATHER is moving in with the wind.  Today there was a earthquake on the Kansas border.  A few days ago, I felt one as I was up late my back began to vibrate.  Wondered if it was an earthquake.  It was and now today another one.  Interesting to say the least.  Quaking.  

My THANKSGIVING Menu is written out and I will do my finishing touches and shopping this week-end.  LORD willing.

I have been thinking about what I am THANKFUL for.  The list is long and gets longer with each passing year.  Thankful.  

THANKFUL.  White Christmas is playing on the radio as I enjoy typing on the computer.  Perhaps it will be a white Christmas.  I'd like that.     

MAY YOU HAVE A NICE WEEK-END,
d

Birthday Wishes

 ~ HAPPY 14th BIRTHDAY ~

Time flies when you're having fun.

Lots of fun over the past 14 years!

You're a blessing and a GRAND Grand-daughter.

I love you very much and hope you have a wonderful day.

Wishing you all the best and GOD BLESS.

Love,

Grandma

This year Grand-daughter had a STARBUCK's Coffee Theme 

for her Birthday Party to celebrate with her friends.

Her Mom fixed a sweet spread.

 ::HAPPY BIRTHDAY::

Is Downsizing For You?

I LAUGHED after viewing these suggestions….though I hadn't seen this article when we started our downsizing 5 years ago or so…felt like I am on their track.  

I couldn't agree with the kitchen appliances.  Think one ought to be given a longer length of time in between uses.  Okay, just saying.

All the best!
d


http://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2015/downsizing-items-to-ditch-photo.html?cmp=SNP-DSO-FB-MONY-INCRM_FB_CONTENT_2015&s_kwcid=AL!4520!45!bb0ed325682673383a7e6fb7bd1811ff&ef_id=VZjEOgAAAWpaF03K:20151118014611:o#slide1

FLASH

If I wait long enough, I will not have to rake leaves because the wind will have blown them away.  When I look outside through the windows, the chilly grey skies look just like WINTER.  Bare tree branches etched across the sky makes an interesting masterpiece to admire and I admire the trees all year round.  I am a fan.  

Sounds like WINTER with the wind howling.  The southwest Kansas weather was tornadic today with 10 or so tornadoes in November.  Do you ever wonder if GOD is trying to get peoples attention through the weather? 

When people turn from HIM, do you think maybe He is trying to give people time to come back to HIM? 

As I walked through the house today, I wasn't able to go without noticing that the downsizing has caused quite a stir in NOT having a tidy house.  It is dreadful how messy it is around here.  It continues to get messier and messier.  

In disbelief that THANKSGIVING is in about 10 days and I have an awful lot of cleaning to get done.  It gets worse before it gets better.  The count down is on.

Last week I had victory with the papers.  I continued to go through even more paper that I handled, sorted, threw away…makes for a great sit down job.  Filing it, isn't so difficult.  The books are thinned down.  The magazines, purses, clothing, dishes, stuffed toys….poof.  Gone.  I will survive.  Music tapes galore.  Thin, thin, thin.  Round two is about to take place with the movies. 

As Husband was rearranging the spare room to make more room for a couple of oak morris chairs, a settee and a coffee table that I want to hang onto for a while longer, he brought me a laundry basket full of unfolded socks.  Gosh…how did that happen?  The socks were shuffled away when company was coming one other time.  After the visit, I forget to get back to these socks.  They are officially mated once again and in the sock drawers.   

Thinned down my handbags today.  Many are boxed and ready for the THRIFT SHOP.  I now confess that I am a HANDBAG JUNKIE.  Right along with LIPSTICK, FINGERNAIL POLISH, DISHES, MAGAZINES and BOOKS.  I confess.  I am going to be victorious in downsizing.  WILLING IT and continued prayer for strength and direction.  I cannot take any of this with me.  True there are things I want to keep while I am alive, but I can live with so much less.

IN A FLASH life can change forever.  The horrible attacks on Paris on Friday.  The WORKING WEEK-END.  On Monday, I was going to call and make an eye appointment.  Got way too busy to follow through.  

Thought I'd call on Tuesday.  When my Dear Husband came HOME and told me our Optometrist had been killed in a auto accident.  His poor family.  54.  Am STUNNED.

Hubby said my FAVORITE thrift shop changed hands when they sold the store to another.  Prices will go up.  Sigh.  I will miss this place the way it was.  Miss it.

This will be a fast paced week.  
Talk to you later,
d  

HOLIDAY HAPPINESS

Yesterday, the geraniums were brought indoors before the frost got to them.  Hoping to WINTER them in the mechanical room or the spare bedroom that is a catch-all at present.  

The miniature candy bars are gone, gone, gone.  Still  have Tootsie Rolls in a antique casserole dish with no lid sitting on the Buffet.  Think the Grandchildren will enjoy these at Thanksgiving.  The Rolls are small enough not to spoil anyone's appetite.

Taking a BREAK from Thanksgiving cleaning and planning.  Jumping HOLIDAYS.  Having a few minutes to surf the net and came across CHRISTMAS PRETTIES.  Want to share.  Knowing that CHRISTMAS is about 6 weeks away, thought it would be enjoyable and relaxing to look at beautifully decorated HOMES to gather some ideas.

THOUGHT this one just about anyone could do and would be very inexpensive to copy.  After the HOLIDAYS, re-purpose the toilet tissue back into use.  Nothing wasted. 

 

 

 

MAY YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK-END!!!

So very glad you stopped by.  Maybe next time we can have some apple cider.

Now I must get back to THANKSGIVING preparations 

and get greatness done.  
So many think that being a KEEPER OF THE HOME 
isn't doin' anything.  

Are you kidding?  

ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT NEEDED.

Taking care of the details of running an Estate 

 is a heavenly task.  Doing the LORD's work when taking care of Family and Home.  

A missionary field.

Blessings,

d

AWESOME AUTUMN, Hershey Bars and Paperclips

 I did not make this up about being more sustaining than MEAT!  They obviously know what they are talking about.....right?

Oh dear....I've had one of those awesome mornings where I sat down to write out medical bills to be paid and got side tracked by needing a paper clip.  Went looking for one and changed my pattern of thought to go get another cup of coffee with creamer in it then needed to visit the toilet, wash me hands and walk back to the family room to check email.  An hour later, I turned the washing machine on and realized that I forgot the paperclip as I walked past the kitchen sink seeing I need to buy some dish detergent...all out.  

Went hunting for paperclips and whallah...there she is.  Return to bills to write out and here I be at the computer to see if a message I was waiting for came in.  The phone just rang and I heard the buzzer go off from the washing machine.

GRINS.

Back to the bills on a Monday morning, but first....I will blog!!!  Oh wait....it's TUESDAY already.

I bought a couple more color coded storage boxes for a reasonable price.  Black body with orange lid screams 
I'm Halloween STUFF in here.  Halloween items are going in these and then they will be transported to the garage for storage.  

Dear dear dear dear dear dear dear Hubby worked this week-end out in the garage.  He made huge progress shuffling 3 huge monster metal shelve units from one side of the garage to the other.  First the items had to be removed, carried across the garage through a booby trapped path and then re-stacked on metal units.  As we continue going through boxes to see what's inside, much was loaded in the trunks of the cars to be taken to thrift shops.  HELP.  HELP.  HELP.  In all good conscious, I know we are too old to be doing this in our old bodies. 

As we chisel down the messes it will one day be as it should.  This has been an ongoing work with us.  This go round of getting settled has required GREAT EFFORT on our parts.  I think i can....i think i can....i think i can.....i think i can.

I mustn't sound like a nag or a constant complainer.  Mustn't.  Put on a HAPPY FACE and smile.  It's taking more time than I ever imagined.  MY imagination isn't creative enough to make this up or think such a thing could happen.  I am now better informed and will continue on to change what I think is important to keep or get rid of.

Once again we both said, "I don't want to be doing this when I'm 70...should we be blessed to live so long."

I thinned through OLD magazines that I kept for years.  Trashed them.  HUNDREDS of religious papers that I had held onto are now in the trash.  Books are still being boxed to go to THRIFT.  Dishes....ouch....I have a difficult time getting rid of these fine pieces of ART that make LIFE easier to take.

Knowing that I cannot take any of this stuff with me when I die has helped me to rethink what to hang onto or thin out.  I have to be reasonable and let much go away.  Hanging onto so much has been very time consuming and requires much space to store.  Soooooo....out you go.  

ONTO something else:

PLEASE PASS THE CHOCOLATE.
Aren't you glad that CHOCOLATE is so healthy for women?
Men also.
Gotta be.

The last of the miniature candy bars are just about gone.  ALL GONE.  Lasted over a week.  AWESOME.  A little CHOCOLATE each day makes one ___________________ .

Medical research says it's so gooooood for you.  All that copper etc.


I LOVE THIS LADY!!!!

I have two weeks to get our dear HOUSE in better order for THANKSGIVING.  Can I do it?  Not at the rate I'm traveling.  GRINS.  Am THANKFUL that the Turkey and Ham are waiting for me in the freezer.  I will rewrite my menu and shopping list to get to the details.

Now where did I put that bag of paperclips.

Did I forget to tell you that you are mighty special!
Have a sweet day,
d