HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANNE !!

Vintage Christmas Post Cards

They just don't make them like this anymore.

I wonder why that is.

Foggy Morning

Rain most of the day

and all through the night

makes a foggy morning!!

Mom's Christmas ~ 2009

Last week I finished decorating Mom's apartment which is on the lower level of our house. Thought I would share the results as I think it looks beautiful. Mom will be 93 in February, so she isn't able to do much of the decorating. She did, however, place the figures in the manger. She thoroughly enjoys her Nativity and tree each year. I've posted a close up to show the detail. Mom has had this Nativity since abut 1950 ~ A friend made the Manger for her. It has been a part of every Christmas as far back as I can remember. After all, this is what Christmas is all about.

A Christmas Letter from Jesus

My friends,
I just received this letter in an email this morning. My first thought was to put it on my blog to share it with all of you. It is a long read, but I think it is worth the time. When I finish posting this, I am going down the basement to dig out an extra Nativity set and Manger that I have, and I am going to put it on a little table on my front porch. After you read this, you will know why.

A Christmas Letter from Jesus

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that, let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did this, there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish.

If you want to give me a present in remembrance of My birth, here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing personal letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know - they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because the feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile - it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nitpicking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas", that doesn't keep you from wishing them one.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary - especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here is a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who won't have a "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity that believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Let people know by your actions that you are one of Mine.

Don't forget - I am God and I can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I will take care of the rest. Check out the list above and get to work. Time is short. I will help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember.

I love you.
Jesus

Christmas 1965

Christmas ~ 1965

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SIERRA !!



We just came back in the house after our little cul-de-sac Christmas rendevouz with the neighbors. It was a nice day for it. Cold, but the air was still. The snow is just about all gone already.

Originally, the plan was to help each other decorate our houses for Christmas. Since everyone had already done that, we had warm apple cider and warm wine with cookies instead.

It really was nice to visit with the neighbors for a while. We seldom get the chance to ALL get together like that. I imagine this will become a yearly tradition for us.

SNOW

This morning we woke to a beautiful surprise ~ snow!! I miss snow. In Ohio, we would get lots of snow and it would last. Here, in Virginia, we don't normally get too much. So, I was very excited to see all the beautiful white!

The pictures show the front of our house (with snow), the ornaments I've put on the tree out front (with snow), one of the bushes (with snow), a few of the neighborhood mountains (with snow). LOL! I guess I wanted to be able to look back at the snow once it melts ~ do you think??

I went to a Holiday Open House this afternoon in Roanoke and on my way home, I passed the most beautiful tree. I could not believe it still had such color. AND, can you believe this hydrangea bush? STUNNING!! I would love to take that bush home!!

We were supposed to have a little neighborhood Christmas gathering in our cul-de-sac early afternoon today. That didn't happen. Maybe the weather will be better next weekend.......

Dickens of a Christmas

Every year, the first 3 Friday nights in December are reserved for DICKENS OF A CHRISTMAS in downtown Roanoke. It is SO much fun and really puts you in the Christmas mood.

Tonight was the first Friday for Dickens of a Christmas - the hubs and I went and we had great fun. The main streets surrounding the City Market are all closed and filled with people all through the evening. The downtown stores stay open late for this so you can do some Christmas shopping. There was a Live Nativity Scene, Carriage Rides, Strolling St. Nicholas, Street Actors, A Magician, Carolers, Kettlekorn, Fudge, Hot Chocolate, Craft Vendors, Christmas Greenery and Wreathes, Coffee, Baked Goods, and More. We walked around for a while, then had dinner at Alejandro's Mexican Grill. Yum. We then had to have kettlekorn and hot chocolate. I did very little shopping ~ there were too many things to enjoy.

I have a sneaky feeling we'll be going back next Friday......

Christmas 1973

Christmas ~ 1973

This was a very special Christmas ~ Casey's first!! He is just a little over 2 months old in this picture.

The best gift ever ~ my son!!

Christmas 1951

Christmas ~ 1951

I LOVE this picture. I was one month shy of being 4. That's me holding the doll. My sister and my brother are pictured, too. How perfect. And there is the wonderful nativity right next to the tree.

We lived in a simple little bungalow in a wonderful neighborhood ~ knew all our neighbors and had a relationship with them ~ never locked our doors ~ slept with the doors open in the summer so the breeze could come in through the screen.

I had the most wonderful, happy Christmases as a child.

A Christmas From The Past

Our Family Tree ~ 1961

This picture brings back happy memories from my childhood.

The nativity on the right was something we looked forward to having next to the tree every Christmas. Mom still has it and we put it up next to her tree every year.

There is nothing quite like a real Christmas tree. We bought a Scotch Pine Tree every year ~ it was hard to decorate those long needles, but it sure looked pretty and smelled like Christmas!

December 1

DECEMBER 1

................AND SO IT BEGINS !

Enjoy the decorating, the shopping, the partying, the baking, the wrapping !

Enjoy every minute of the merriment of the season !

A Wonderful Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and was able to celebrate with loved ones.

We returned home last evening after having a great Thanksgiving visit at Casey's in South Carolina!!

What nice memories he made having his grandparents over to share the Thanksgiving meal. That's my mom standing next to Casey.

I took the full moon photo last night just after we crossed into Virginia. It looks more like the sun - it was so bright.

The next photo was taken from Virginia looking out at the famous North Carolina Pilot Mountain and the knob on top - referred to by most as Pilot's Knob. If you click on the photo, it will enlarge and you will get a better view of the knob.

This next photo is an evening shot of the North Carolina mountains.

This beautiful vining mandavilla was still blooming for Amanda.

I was quite happy how close this heron let me get to him to take this photo - I took one step too close, though, and he took flight in the next photo.

The pond across from Casey and Amanda's seems to be a resting spot for many Canadian Geese.

While taking pictures at the pond, I had to be very careful of the fire ant hills. The last photo shows one of the larger ones. Having sandles on....I would not have been happy had I stepped on one.

Vintage Thanksgiving

I won't be blogging for several days as I will be out of town for Thanksgiving.

I wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with God's abundant blessings!!

Honest Scrap Award

I was surprised, and honored, with this Honest Scrap Award, given to me by Anne, of El Milagro Studio. The award is for honest blogging. I am to mention and link the giver in this post: http://elmilagrostudio.blogspot.com

Thank you, Anne.

I am also supposed to list 10 things about myself. Not an easy task. What can I tell you that will help you to know me better? Since we are in the midst of Thanksgiving preparations, I won't spend a lot of time thinking too hard on this, so here goes:

_________________________________________________________

1. I hate slapstick and comedy that is stupid. I lean toward serious movies and the like. I enjoy coming away from a movie with something to ponder.

2. I am highly offended when Religion is used in jokes and such. I don't like to see God or His name used in any way that is not in His honor.

3. I'm a peacemaker. All of my life I have tried to keep everyone around me "happy" so there would be no unrest.

4. I spent about the first third of my life as somewhat of an introvert. I was quiet and uncomfortable in group settings. No more! Somewhere along the line, I realized that we are all human and no one is "better" than anyone else. Life is much more fun being more of an extrovert with just the right amount of aggressiveness. I know that I can be myself with no pretension.

5. For many years, I lacked the confidence needed to get out there and pursue my dreams. Of course there was family to be raised, time constraints, and life got in the way. Being older and wiser now, I feel I could tackle just about anything I set my mind to.

6. I've had Bells Palsy twice in my life. Once is rare, twice is really rare. First time was on the left side of my face ~ second time the right side. Paralysis of the face is something I would wish on no one. Medication and therapy brought my left side back to normal. On the right side, I've been left with a little numb sensation around my mouth and eye.

7. I'm a seashell collector. I have thousands of shells - in boxes, in glass vessels, in my flowerbeds, in my fountains..... I love the sea and the shells it provides. One of my life dreams was to live in a cottage by the sea. Having had the opportunity to live in Charleston, SC, last year.......I now prefer the mountains.

8. For a good part of my life, I felt that my art was not good enough. In recent years, I have claimed to be an artist, I am proud to be an artist, and I like the things I paint.

9. I passed up several cost free trips to Italy and Switzerland because of my fear of flying.

10. I am older... I am wiser.... I WISH I'D KNOW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW !!!

__________________________________________________________

Now, I am to pass this on to 10 bloggers I feel have honest blogs. I think all the blogs that I read on a daily basis are written by honest people. You can tell by the content and if I didn't think these people were honest, I wouldn't be reading the things they write. There will be duplication - it can't be helped - some people have outstanding blogs and have already received this award.

I must bounce it right back to Anne of http://elmilagrostudio.blogspot.com

Marlene of Marlene's Musings http://marlenes-musings.blogspot.com

Marilyn of Our Victorian Cottage http://ourvictoriancottage.blogspot.com

Tristan of Enchanted Revelry http://tristanrobin.blogspot.com

Anna of Anna Rosa Designs http://annarosadesigns.blogspot.com

Linda of Lindaoma's Old Baggs N Stuft Shirts http://lindaomasoldebaggsnstuftshirts.blogspot.com/

Danita of DanitaArt http://danitaart.blogspot.com

Amanda of Bright Eyes http://ag-brighteyes.blogspot.com

Diva of Diva's Musings http://divaodete.blogspot.com

Flor of Flor Larios Art http://florlariosart.blogspot.com/