The eggs in my pocket have been cracked and the needle in my hand is bent.........

what started out as a routine trip into town ,

ended up with my car being ruined........

and for us in the car........

badly bruised and bent...........but  all able to walk away.

We have much to be thankful for. 

No other cars involved........just a sturdy tree on an embankment to challenge my car. 

Only 2 miles from our home........although it was a freezing day,

the roads appeared to be fine.

While my husband drove along, I was busy making out the grocery list............

our daughter.........home for a visit,  was in the back seat............

then..............one small patch of ice

and the car turns into a tilt a whirl ride.

Now the year is at it's end, and we try to get this behind us 

and  face the new year..............with new hope.

My spirit is as badly bruised as my face and ribs............for somewhere

in the spinning and smash......

my joy and enthusiasm was jolted out of me.  

but I will soon search for  fresh eggs to place in my pocket 

and I will place a new needle in my hand.........

and joy will once again return with it's enthusiasm. 

Life's lesson.........

seat belts really do save lives..........

and if it is icy outside.........everything can wait until it melts.

Wishing you a safe and blessed new year!

Another year of wild creatures, seasons, planting and planning, has come to an end

and I find myself looking over at what has come to visit the grounds,

 and all I have told you about here and 

pondering on what I would like to do differently this coming year. 

Here is a glimpse back over the creatures and plants this past year 2017

a dear blogging friend created a painting of our sweet Sophie

I found Homer ( who had been dumped on us) 

a great home with a local veterinarian 

Homer's 8 kittens arrived in march, and somehow,

I was able to find homes for the mother and all kittens

our damaged meadow has restored itself and the wildflowers

were beautiful!

the yellow headed blackbirds made their  annual visit

Three small owls stayed in our front yard tree for weeks

the tough horned toad helped get rid of ants

Gertrude got a new dress 

a hot and tired hawk  came to rest his feet in the bird bath

a very dear aunt filled our home with music and happiness

I showed a bit of my vintage kitchen

I gathered the last of my tomatoes on the vine

As I put the Christmas tree away, I am already focusing my 

attention on garden books, garden catalogs, and spaces outside

where I want to try to grow vegetables and flowers this 

next coming year.............

Tell me, what have you accomplished this year in your gardens?

What are your dreams and plans for the new year?

Lord, as the New Year dawns today,

      Help me to put my faults away.

      Let me be big in little things;

      Grant me the joy which friendship brings;

      Keep me from selfishness and spite,

      Let me be wise to what is right.

A Happy New Year! grant that I

      May cause no tear to any eye.

      When this new year in time shall end,

      Let it be said: "I've played the friend,

      Have lived and loved and labored here

      And made of it a happy year."

Edgar Guest (1881–1959), "Prayer for the New Year

Wishing you a very blessed new year!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is forever, not for just one day,

for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away

like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.

The good you do for others is good you do yourself.

Peace on Earth, good will to men,

kind thoughts and words of cheer,

are things we should use often

and not just once a year.

Remember too the Christ-child, grew up to be a man;

to hide him in a cradle, is not our dear Lord’s plan.

So keep the Christmas spirit, share it with others far and near,

from week to week and month to month, throughout the entire year!

~Norman Wesley Brooks (1923–2002), “Let Every Day Be Christmas,” 1976

Snow fell ,only slightly, the other day

and I loved watching the large lovely flakes

softly float across and down onto the ground.

it never accumulated and it melted away quickly,

and even though the days have gotten much colder,

I  still have a tomato vine, growing  and crawling 

wildly along the green house fence.

Ripe tomatoes along with green ones, still hanging on in 

December. 

I gathered a good bunch for the day's lunch

The lantana, even though it is still green, knows that winter is

coming and now has it's green pods that soon will turn black.

I have no idea  why they produce these.........they do not sprout

from these pods..........or perhaps, I am just not successful at

getting them to sprout that way

Yet, among the remaining green........the end of summer and

the time for everything to go into slumber, is starting to show up.

The oak tree out back has gone from vibrant orange

to a darker red........it's leaves are starting to fall.

The pomegranate tree leaves have all turned yellow and gold

So I finally bid farewell to summer 

and enjoy the glow of the fireplace

as well as  the cheery Christmas tree in the window.

Christmas is almost here.........

and I am ready for a table full of family.

How about you?  Do you have a blanket of snow

in your yard?  Is any plant still hanging on your gardens?

I would love to hear!

The wind is roaring outside and beating on the door and walls of the house

as a cold front pushes itself in for a couple of days........

It is a good day to make a pie and some bread for the day's lunch..........

In the center of my kitchen, I have an old wood  table,

it reminds me of the one my grandmother use to have in her

kitchen...........

 

and it serves as an "island" of sorts to 

make all kinds of dishes

and great for rolling doughs out on. 

What kind of workspace do you like to use?

When I am not baking, I like to use the table for a morning brunch

and I keep a baked dessert or cake on it

for the day's nibblers to enjoy

My stove is another great space........not just for cooking and baking,

but is wonderful to warm and to get bread dough to

rise, especially on cold days as today.

                                   

                         

I have made some dinner rolls for lunch and some "hamburger buns"

for a later dinner.

This time of year, I get anxious about the weather because

I want Thanksgiving day to be a pretty and comfortable day.

I have guests who are driving and flying in......

so I  do not want snowy weather.

I have checked the weather report for the next few days and 

it looks like we will have temps at 66 for the day.

Not too hot.........not too cold

sounds like a perfect and comfortable day!

After a large meal, everyone can take a nice walk

or go outside to catch up with visiting!

How about you?  Are you cooking the Thanksgiving meal this year?

Do you have a large workspace or table to make your treats?

What kind of weather do you like...........and what kind of 

weather are you anticipating for Thanksgiving?

Whether it's just a few folks at your table........or more

Whether it be freezing weather or pleasant,

here's wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Autumn Days Are Here At Last!

Placed away............for years.............

my fingers taken up with a needle and thimble, 

my hands busy with chickens and gardening,

my guitars have waited in the quite dark..........

untouched.........unheard.

That all changed the other night when this almost 80 year old

set of hands brought one of my guitars back into the light

and woke up it's strings.

There is a line of musical talent that runs along in 

my family tree........not worldly known......

only known to family..........and friends.

Aunts, uncles, and grandparents........playing and singing.

I bought my first guitar at the age of 14 .........

dreamed of being as good as John Denver

and dreamed of going to Nashville.

While in college......I joined a singing group and

bought a guitar, which took me 8 weeks to slowly pay off...........

Didn't go to Nashville......... instead, 

became a "wedding singer"..........

and then turned into a "lullabye singer"

and eventually put my dreams and guitars

far away on the back shelf.

Later my dear aunt gave me my late uncle's guitar

which I played.......but also placed away.

It has been years since I have seen my aunt Fern.

While visiting, this week, she asked if I still had the old guitar.

I dug it out of it's dark place...........a bit ashamed at 

how ragged and worn the case was ........

and handed the dusty instrument over to the 

aged, talented hands.........that has played along

with bluegrass and country pickers.

As a mother would straighten her child's hair and brush lint off of his clothes,

my aunt gently wiped down the guitar and tuned it's strings. 

Wonderful old forgotten songs sprang forth

from those aged fingers that strummed and picked.

The next day.........our home was filled with the 

sound of those well loved hymns from our old piano, 

by that same pair of aged, talented hands.

What a blessing and what a sense of joy she brought to 

our home!

My aunt inspired me not only  to pick up and peck out 

a note or two..........someday perhaps.

She taught me most to not completely forget 

the other things that I love to do, even if life has swayed

me to another path.  

There is joy in everything  that we try to accomplish.

Now, I have found  a new place instead of a dark closet

for these guitars to rest.......

ready for someone to pick them up and 

fill the house with music once again.

I look out the window and realize that there is not a bird.......anywhere

at the feeder where I just placed fresh feed in..........

I glance over to the watering trough and realize why.

This thirsty and tired hawk

was thoroughly enjoying itself............stomping 

around in the water, and splashing

I think hawks are truly a very pretty birds!........

don't  you?  

The other birds and myself, patiently waited 

for it to get finished..............

then it opened it's large wings and flew away.

I headed on outside to work on painting my old broken shovels

They are rusted and do not have handles........but

they can be made into such pretty things!

I love to paint them and place them out in my gardens

or along paths and up against old fences

They brighten any corner they are placed in

and they add whimsy to my gardens.

How about you?

Do you have any large birds hanging around  your feeders?

Do you decorate your gardens with 

shovels.....statues......or rocks?

I would love to hear!