Our First Snowstorm in 2015

The freshly-fallen snow is so lovely...and then comes the activities of daily living that messes and dirties it up. Oh well. It was quite beautiful when it was falling. We got not quite 10 inches.  It's going to be very cold over the next few days (cold for us anyway).

A snow day literally and figuratively falls from the sky, unbidden, and seems like a thing of wonder.

Susan Orlean

I am currently reading the following books.

The first book shown is an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy) of the story of the Lusitania, a maritime tragedy that occurred a few years after the sinking of the Titanic. It killed more than 1,000 people, but is a lot less known than the story of the Titanic - I imagine it's because of the fact that the Titanic was on it's maiden voyage and the sinking took a few hours, romanticizing the aftermath of the iceberg strike. Admittedly, the stories that came from the Titanic survivors have mesmerized me, especially the part of the band playing even while the ship is sinking. But the Lusitania has an equally interesting list of persons on board the luxury ocean liner on the tragic night it was torpedoed by a German u-boat. I'm about 1/2 way through and am immensely enjoying reading about this little piece of maritime history.

The second book shown is a contemporary 'love story' of sorts. A man working in a company's IT Department has been given the task of reading flagged emails and sending warnings to employees when emails are inappropriate for whatever reason. However, he doesn't warn Beth and Jennifer - he just simply reads their detailed emails and ends up falling in love with Beth. Interesting concept for a love story....

My niece, Autumn, had a turned one this month and had a Minnie Mouse - themed birthday party. The cake was really cute and she got lots of stuff.

I am excited that I will be a grandmother for the 4th time come October of this year. My son and his wife are expecting their fourth child in the fall. There shall be showers of blessings....Praying that all goes well with this pregnancy. Love my kids and grandkids so much!

Happy Valentine's Day 2015

Happy Valentine's Day!

Just remember...

1 Corinthians 13 King James Version (KJV)

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Journaling

I've been journaling off and on for many years. In the last few years, journaling has become somewhat of a necessity for me as I've been suffering from depression and a journal and a pen are godsends. I need outlets and this is one of them. It's not just writing though. I often compile drawings from my grandkids, cards, photographs, pictures from magazines, etc.

I keep all of my journaling supplies together in a carry-around tote with lots of pockets so I can journal anywhere.

This is my current journal and, yes, I'm still a little 'girly'. Since I insert lots of pics, cutouts etc, I have to use a band to hold it together. I'm now using a Smash Book band.

These kinds of pages make the journal interesting. I'm obviously unable to show my actual journaling pages as they're very personal and full of raw emotion.

I would love to be able to incorporate some of my own artwork into the journal, but I was not blessed with that talent. *sigh* It's okay though - my granddaughter provided me with a lovely piece of art (as shown above) and I'm sure I'll have many more of those over the years!

I do have some extra blank journals waiting for me once this one is complete.

I must run. My daughter will be off the bus in a few moments and wants me to go to the gym with her. I need to get back into shape!

Until next time...

Random Q & A

How tall are you? 5'3

What is your favorite song? This is too hard. I have a lot of songs I love. A few are I Can Only Imagine by MercyMe, East Is From The West by Casting Crowns, Who Am I by Casting Crowns, Water Grave by The Imperials/Russ Taff, I Hope You Dance by Leanne Womack, Coward of the County by Kenny Rogers, The Rose by Bette Midler and so many more I love....

What's your favorite way to spend free time when you're alone? Reading, Jigsaw Puzzles and Latch Hook

What's  your favorite junk food? Rocky Road Ice Cream!

Do you have any pets? Yes, we have a border collie named Holly.

What is your favorite fiction and nonfiction book? Nonfiction is easy - the Bible. For fiction books, I've read so many, but my favorite (is actually a series) is the Lunar Chronicles; so far, there is Cinder, Scarlet and Cress. Upcoming in the series are Fairest and Winter (can't wait).

If you could only drink one beverage (besides water) for the rest of your life, what would it be? Hmmm.....I guess iced tea.

What is your favorite Disney movie? It's a tie between Frozen and The Fox and the Hound.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? Probably Alaska

Do you cut out coupons and never use them? Yes, I'm afraid I'm guilty of that...

Do you chew your pens and pencils? No

What size is your bed? King

Do you still watch cartoons? I do occasionally. I have a teen daughter and she still watches them, so I watch them with her sometimes - Spongebob Squarepants, Scooby Doo.

What do you dip your chicken nuggets in? If I do, it's barbeque sauce, but I usually eat them without any sauce. I can't stand ketchup.

What is your favorite food? Tacos

What movies could you watch over and over and still love? On Golden Pond (such a sweet love story), Grumpy Old Men (Matthau and Lemmon are hilarious together),  Titanic, most Disney moves...

Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket? No, but "knock on wood" now...

Ever ran out of gas? Yes

Favorite kind of sandwich? Roast Beef, provalone cheese and tomato

How many languages can you speak? Only English

Are you afraid of heights? I do get pretty queazy when I look down, so I guess I am.

Favorite type of fruit pie? Lemon Meringue

Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart? I like all 3, but it's usually Wal-Mart.

Cheetos or Fritos? Cheetos

Hot Tea or Cold Tea? Definitely cold

Black or green olives? Olives are really gross IMO.

What is your favorite color? Green

Well, this was just a fun and quick post. It's the weekend and I have a lot of housework to attend to. Have washed dishes and a load of clothes. Getting ready to wash another load. Will go to the gym later and take my daughter to work. Then will get some reading in. Looking forward to an increase in temps later this week, Lord willing.

My Nook TBR Jar

I am an avid reader and have so many unread books, including more than 1000 on my Nook eReader. Yes, more than a 1000 on the Nook alone....I have a hard time deciding which book to read next, so I thought I'd make a TBR (To Be Read) Jar solely for my unread Nook books. It's nothing fancy - just a cute green mug. I wrote down the titles and authors of my unread books, cut them out in strips and folded them before throwing them into the jar. I'll get my daughter to draw from the jar when I'm ready to read one.

Books are one of my weaknesses whenever I go to a store. I always seem to gravitate to the bookshelves. I read all kinds of books, but my favorite genres are mysteries, thrillers, suspense, true crime and romance. I like some YA (young adult), but I find many are full of subject matter that I try to steer clear from - witches, demons, etc. Biographies and memoirs are usually quite interesting as well.  Reading transports me into another world for a while. Some stories, if written well, will stay with me for quite some time. Theological or religious books one has to be careful about as I've found that a lot of them are not Biblically-based and contain the author's own opinions rather than staying true to Scripture.

Here are a few thoughts on one of my favorite pastimes.

You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me. -C.S. Lewis

You're never too old, too wacky, too wild to pick up a book and read to a child. - Dr Seuss

There is no friend as loyal as a book. - Ernest Hemingway

I must say that I find television very education. The moment somebody turns it on, I go to the library and read a good book. - Groucho Marx

A book is a gift you can open again and again. -Garrison Keillor

Baby, it's cold outside! Ugh!! At least the sun is shining today. I have spring fever already, but I'm afraid Old Man Winter has a lot more time to wreak wintry havoc on my spring frame of mind. Ah well....

Poetry

I love poetry. I've written quite a few poems myself over the years and I bring them out occasionally. It's usually a therapeutic exercise for me, kind of like journaling or blogging. Here are 2 poems that I've loved for many years.

IF JESUS CAME TO YOUR HOUSE

By Unknown

If Jesus came to your house
To spend some time with you,
If He came unexpected,
I wonder what you’d do.

Oh, I know you’d give your nicest room
To such an honored guest
And all the food you’d give to Him
Would be the very best.

And you would keep assuring Him
You’re glad to have Him there–
That serving Him in your home
Is joy beyond compare.

But when you saw Him coming,
Would you meet Him at the door
With arms outstretched in welcome
To your heavenly visitor?

Or would you have to change your clothes
Before you let Him in
Or hide some magazines
And put the Bible where they’d been

Would you hide your worldly music
and put some hymn books out?
Could you let Jesus walk right
in, or would you rush about?

And I wonder – if the Saviour
spent a day or two with you,
Would you go right on doing, the
things you always do?

Would you go right on saying, the
things you always say?
Or would life for you continue
as it does from day to day?

Would you take Jesus with you
everywhere you go?
Or would you maybe change your
plans for just a day or so?

Would you be glad to have Him
meet your closest friends?
Or would you hope they stay away,
until His visit ends?

Would you be glad to have Him
stay forever on and on?
Or would you sigh with great
relief when He at last was gone?

It might be interesting to know,
the things that you would do,
If Jesus came in person, to spend
some time with you.

THE HOUSE WITH NOBODY IN IT

By: Joyce Kilmer

Whenever I walk to Suffern along the Erie track
I go by a poor old farmhouse with its shingles broken and black
I suppose I've passed it a hundred times, but I always stop for a minute
And look at the house, the tragic house, the house with nobody in it

I never have seen a haunted house, but I hear there are such things
That they hold the talk of spirits, their mirth and sorrowings
I know this house isn't haunted, and I wish it were, I do
For it wouldn't be so lonely if it had a ghost or two

This house on the road to Suffern needs a dozen panes of glass
And somebody ought to weed the walk and take a scythe to the grass
It needs new paint and shingles and the vines should be trimmed and tied
But what it needs the most of all is some people living inside

If I had a lot of money and all my debts were paid
I'd put a gang of men to work with brush and saw and spade
I'd buy that place and fix it up the way it used to be
And I'd find some people who who wanted a home and give it to them for free

Now a new house standing empty, with staring window and door
Looks idle perhaps, and foolish, like a hat on its block in the store
But there's nothing lonely about it, it cannot be sad and lone
For the lack of something within it that it has never known

But a house that has done what a house should do, a house that has sheltered life
That has put its loving wooden arms around a man and his wife
A house that has echoed a baby's laugh and has held up his stumbling feet
Is the saddest sight, when left alone, that ever your eyes could meet

So whenever I go to Suffern along the Erie track
I never go by the empty house without stopping and looking back
Yet it hurts me to look at the fallen roof and the shutters falling apart
For I can't help thinking the poor old house is a house with a broken heart

It's a blustery, cold winter's day. I have lots left to do. God bless.

My First Smash Book

I've been working on a "Smash Book" off and on for the last year. It's a neat concept where you create pages dedicated to a particular theme and decorate them accordingly by "smashing" ephemera and paraphernalia in them.  Here's some of what I've done thus far.

It's a fun little project to do in my spare time. It brings out the creativity in me.

This week is going to be quite busy. And it's supposed to turn pretty cold by mid-week. I don't look forward to that. Cold is one thing; bitter cold is quite the other. It's hard for me to tolerate the latter, but we'll have to make do.

Random quotes for the day:

The pine stays green in winter...wisdom in hardship. -Norman Douglas

Winter is a season of recovery and preparation. -Paul Theroux

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer. -Albert Camus

O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind? -Percy Shelley

Trying to stay positive amid the throes of the Winter season.

Time With The Grandkids

Our granddaughter, Kaylee, spent the night with us last night. Kaylee loves her some Play-Doh. She can sit for hours and watch Play-Doh - related videos on YouTube. We're keeping her her own little stash at our house.

She has on her Spiderman pajamas. :)

Here she is again, playing with her new Frozen stationery set. She made us a card.

Here is me and my daughter with my youngest grandson, Christian.

And here is Christian catching a few zzzz's....

And our middle grandchild, Caleb, age 2...

Caleb and Kaylee playing with blocks...

I plan to start this lighthouse latch hook project soon.

It's been a while since I've done latch hook, but from what I can recall, it wasn't that difficult. I've found a lot more I'd like to complete, so hopefully, I'll enjoy it and can turn it into a hobby.

As stated in last night's post, my husband picked up 3 pizzas from Pizza Hut and we spent a few hours with our son and his family. Kaylee spent the night with us and we watched the ball drop in NYC. I don't know why, but I get a little choked up every year when I see that. I guess it's the inevitable passage of time and how we have no control over it that gets to me. Maybe it's the reality of lost time and what could've or should've been done or said. No sense in dwelling in the past though. Upward and onward, as they say.

Time flies over us, but leaves it shadow behind. -Nathaniel Hawthorne

Lost time is never found again. -Benjamin Franklin

Don't spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door. -Coco Chanel

How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon. December is here before it's June. My goodness, how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon? -Dr Seuss